1jar Ragu Homestyle Thick & Hearty Traditional Pasta Sauce
1tsp.basil
1tsp.crushed red pepper
saltto taste
pepperto taste
For the White Layer
1cupsmall curd cottage cheese
1/3cupparmesan cheese
1/3cupromano cheese
1egg
1/4cupheavy cream
For topping
1cupshredded mozzarella
Instructions
Cook angel hair in salted water until al dente. Drain, and set aside.
Set oven to 375 degrees. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add onion, garlic, italian sausage, and ground beef. Cook until all beef and sausage bits are browned, then drain off excess liquids. Return the pan to the stovetop, add pasta sauce, basil, and crushed red pepper. Stir to combine, then let simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, romano cheese, and egg. Whisk until fully combined. Add cream, and whisk to combine again.
After the meat sauce has simmered for 15 minutes, add cooked angel hair pasta directly to the meat sauce, and mix in the pasta to fully coat every noodle.
In a medium-sized oven safe dish, (mine is 9" x 7" x 2.5" deep) - add half of the pasta and meat layer, or "red layer". Use the tongs to flatten it down, so it has a flat, even top. Pour half of the "white layer" directly onto the red layer, and evenly spread it. Repeat with another red layer, and a final white layer.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese to cover the top surface, and then bake for 25 minutes at 375.
The edges should be browned. Remove from the oven, and change your heat setting to "low broil". Broil your pasta bake for 2-3 minutes, or until the mozzarella cheese is browning and bubbly.
Remove from the oven, and serve hot!
Notes
Adjust the crushed red pepper to your liking! I like things spicy, so a teaspoon worked for me. Please lessen this amount if you do not like so much heat! You can also use spaghetti, linguine, or any longer pasta. I personally prefer angel hair, and I think it works nicely with this recipe.