Quick Baked Pasta

This is the BEST Pasta casserole dish I have come across!If you like ground beef dishes this is the greatest!I always freeze my leftover beef gravy to have on hand for this dish.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  lb  coarse lean ground beef
• 3  garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1⁄2 cup half-and-half
• 3⁄4 cup  red  marinara sauce or 3⁄4 cup  spaghetti sauce
• 3⁄4 cup  good  beef gravy (homemade beef gravy)
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese or 1⁄4 cup romano cheese, freshly grated
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  whole dried rosemary
•  salt and black pepper, freshly ground to taste
• 3⁄4 lb penne pasta (short,small pasta tubes)

• Topping

• 1  cup mozzarella cheese or 1  cup swiss cheese, coarsely grated

Directions

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.
2. Heat a large frying pan and add the oil,beef and garlic.
3. Saute until the meat is tender and then drain excess fat.
4. Add all remaining ingredients except the cheese for topping and the pasta.
5. Simmer the mixture while the pasta cooks until just barely tender.
6. Drain the pasta and mix it with the sauce.
7. Pour all into a 3 quart glass rectangular baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.
8. Bake uncovered at 350* for 25 minutes or until all is bubbly hot.