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Pasta Bake with Awesome Sauce

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5 from 1 review

This pasta bake with a savory tomato “awesome sauce” and gooey pools of mozzarella makes for a perfect meal to serve a crowd.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound cavatappi pasta, or other short pasta
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 shallot
  • 6-ounce dry weight can ripe green olives (pitted)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (original or fire roasted)
  • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (original or fire roasted)
  • 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
  • 4 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into disks
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Boil 6 quarts water with 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Add the pasta and boil until al dente, about 6 to 7 minutes, then drain. Pour into a 9” x 13” pan and add a glug of olive oil to prevent it from sticking.
  3. Meanwhile, peel and mince the garlic and shallot. Drain the olives and finely chop them.
  4. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the olives, tomatoes and their juices, balsamic vinegar, butter, nutmeg, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, pepper, and honey and stir to combine. Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt as desired. Add the spinach leaves and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until tender.
  5. Pour the sauce into the pasta in the baking dish and mix to combine. Top with slices of fresh mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese. Bake until the cheese is golden, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/baked-pasta-with-awesome-sauce/