This Baked Pasta is creamy and cheesy… the ultimate comfort food!
Stress is mounting high people. So much to do, so less time:
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Looming college applications
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Cursed personal statements
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Corporate law stress
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People problems
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Diet fiascos
…amidst other stuff has me sleeping 8 hours straight, hoarding up on chocolate and peanuts, and procrastinating like it’s the end of the world!
Times like these call for comfort food. And nothing can trump pasta when it comes to comfort food. Not in my house.
Loaded with cheese and a rich sauce…this baked pasta is hearty and meaty and deliciously satisfying!
It involves tossing pasta in a rich meaty Bolognese sauce, loading it up with béchamel sauce aka white sauce, and then topping the whole thing with loads of cheese.
Delicious, right?
I’ve made this pasta over a bazillion times now. At dinners and gatherings, whenever friends are over, or just on days like these…sad gloomy miserable days.
One pan makes about 8 servings, perfect for parties. You can prepare it ahead of time and freeze it until you are ready to bake it.
If you guys love this recipe as much as I do, and most importantly make it yourselves, please let me know. Take a picture and tag it #spatulainmypocket on Instagram. I’d love to see what you guys come up with!
Baked PastaServes 6-8Ingredients:Tomato-Meat Sauce¼ cup vegetable oil1 medium onion, finely chopped1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, heaped1 carrot, chopped½ kilo ground beef1 teaspoon red chili flakes, leveled1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon ground black pepper, leveled½ cup tomato paste½ cup sliced mushroomsWhite Sauce2 Tablespoon butter4 Tablespoon flour½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon white or black pepper½ teaspoon mustard powder1 cup chicken stock1 cup whole milk2 Tablespoon shredded cheddar cheeseThe rest1 packet of pasta, prepared according to package directionsMozzarella cheese, shreddedDried Oregano
Directions:1. In a pan, heat oil. Fry the chopped onion till it changes color and becomes soft. Add in the ginger garlic paste and fry till golden brown. Add in the carrot. Mix. Then add in the beef and mushrooms. Mix well on high heat for a few minutes. Then add in the; chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Keep mixing till meat changes color. Then add in a cup of water along with tomato paste. Mix, cover, and leave to cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes.2. While sauce is simmering, cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain.3. Add drained pasta to the meat sauce, mix and turn off heat. Put the pasta mixture into a large casserole dish and set aside.4. For the white sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the butter. Once melted, take the pan off the heat and add in the flour, salt, black pepper, and mustard powder. Mix well using a wooden spoon and bring back to heat. Cook for a minute before adding in the stock and milk. On low-medium heat, mix continuously till the sauce thickens. Remove off the heat and add in the cheddar cheese.5. Pour the entire sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and oregano on top.6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 25-30 minutes. |