Two Layer Baked Pasta

"I love both red & white sauces for pasta! This recipe is easier than making lasagna yet perfect for relaxed entertaining. It can be made in advance & refrigerated for up to 8 hours or foil wrapped & frozen for up to 2 weeks. If you can't find "cavatappi" (the thick cork screw shapes), use some other short pasta such as penne or rotini."
 
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Ready In:
2hrs
Ingredients:
21
Serves:
6-8

ingredients

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directions

  • RED SAUCE: Cook ground beef in a large skillet, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
  • Drain off fat.
  • Add next 7 ingredients& cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes& paste, bring to a boil, then reduce heat& simmer until a spoon scraped across the bottom of the pan leaves a gap that fills in slowly.
  • This should take about 30 minutes.
  • WHITE SAUCE: Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan.
  • Whisk in flour& cook, whisking constantly, for a minute.
  • Gradually add milk, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly; continue cooking& whisking until thickened, about 15 minutes.
  • Stir in cheese& seasonings.
  • PASTA: Cook in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 8- 10 minutes or according to package directions.
  • Coarsely chop spinach, add to the pot& give it a stir.
  • Drain well.
  • ASSEMBLY: Arrange half of the pasta mixture in a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish.
  • Spoon red sauce over top; sprinkle with artichoke hearts.
  • Top with remainder of pasta mixture.
  • Spoon white sauce over top; sprinkle with cheese.
  • Bake in preheated 375F oven until bubbly& golden, about 25 minutes.
  • Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
  • If made in advance& frozen, thaw in refrigerator& add 10 minutes to cooking time.

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Reviews

  1. This is awesome!!! I followed another reviewer who just added spaghetti sauce. i used a large jar of Ragu and about i/2 large can of diced tomatoes I had left over and also a small can of diced tomatoes with italian seasonings ..trying to add up to the 28-oz can of diced tomatoes called for.i omitted the spinach and artichokes.This is very much like the Baked Neopolitan Pasta from Rachael Ray I usually make,although that version has no meat. I will definitely use this again and also will try it with chicken as suggested. This went together very quickly for me.
     
  2. This was very good!! I had to make some adjustments, only b/c of what I had and didn't have onhand. I used a jar of spaghetti sauce rather than the diced tomatoes and tomato paste, and I didn't have any artichoke hearts. But other than that, I made it as written and it was a very good pasta dish. Made a lot so we will have some yummy leftovers!! Oh yea, I used bowtie and macaroni pasta only b/c they were both half full boxes that I wanted to use up!!
     
  3. I was sooo indecisive tonight -and this fit everything I was looking for! I didn't have ground beef, so I used chicken instead and it turned out fanstasic. Thanks!
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

In the words of Tracy Byrd, "I'm from the country & I like it that way"!! On May 1, 2008 my husband and I started a new adventure. We'll be living in a 37 foot RV while our new home is under construction. Its out in the country on a dead end dirt road with lots of trees. For the next 4 months or so, most meals will be cooked on the BBQ and life will be full of challenges! We love spending quality time with our friends & family - especially the grandkids!! The photo is 4 generations - my 84 year old mother, myself, my daughter & my youngest granddaughter - taken at the end of 2006. I've participated in many contests & events here on Zaar but this is the first banner that I've posted. My thanks to Dreamgoddess for hosting the contest & SusieD for the banner design! <img src="http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f249/Dreamgoddess555/Narrow1-1.jpg">
 
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