Creamy Cheesy Baked Pasta

Name: Creamy Cheesy Baked Pasta
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 7 cup Pasta (7-9 cups cooked short pasta dried pasta (14-17 ounces / 400-500 grams) — up to 9); 2 tbsp Olive Oil (2 tablespoons olive oil); ½ lb Ground Beef (½ pound lean ground beef); 2 ½ cup Tomato Purée (2½ cups tomato puree (passata)); 1 clove Garlic (1 clove of garlic chopped); 1 tsp Basil (1 teaspoon basil + 3 leaves fresh basil); 1 tsp Oregano (1 teaspoon oregano); ½ tsp Table Salt (½ teaspoon salt); 1 cup Water (1-1½ cups water — up to 1.5); ½ cup White Sauce (½ cup white sauce (store bought or homemade)); 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese (1 cup diced fresh mozzarella); ½ cup Parmesan Cheese (½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese)

Creamy Cheesy Baked Pasta - Main Course,Main Dish,Pasta (Italian)

50 minItalian

Servings6

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Egg Free

Steps

1Pre heat oven to 350° (180°).
2In a large oven proof pan or 10 inch skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and ground beef, brown, then add tomato puree, salt, basil, oregano, garlic and water stir to combine, add basil leaves and cook on medium heat, half covered until thickened (approximately 20-25 minutes).
3While sauce is cooking. In a large pot of boiling salted water cook pasta al dente, (firm when you bite it) drain.
4When sauce has thickened, add drained pasta and mix well to combine. Drizzle 1/2 cup of white sauce** and top first with diced mozzarella and then parmesan cheese. Bake for approximately 20 -25 minutes in a preheated 350° (180°) oven. Top with extra Parmesan if desired. Enjoy!
5Either homemade White Sauce or a good store bought if you prefer.