1 box of dry spaghetti
3-4 Sweet Italian sausage (removed from casings)
1/3 cup of mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 of a green pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (24 ounces) jar of pasta or marinara sauce
1/2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley + more for topping
1 tablespoon of extra virgin oil
1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 large eggs, beaten
1 cup ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Add extra virgin olive oil to a skillet and add the chopped onions, green peppers, garlic and mushrooms to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the the veggies become tender.
Add the ground beef and Italian sausage (remove from casing) to the skillet. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Slowly cook the sausage and beef, breaking the sausage into smaller pieces as it cooks. The slow cooking will help render the fat. Cook until cooked through, no longer pink anywhere.
Drain the fat from pan and add the jar of pasta sauce and Italian seasonings.
Simmer the marinara, beef, sausage , and seasoning on low . Cook for 10 to 15.
In a large bowl, add 1 cup of ricotta, one egg, 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the pasta: By this time your pasta water should be boiling. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, uncovered, at a boil, for 5 to 6 minutes, al dente. Drain your pasta and rinse in cold water. *very important step*
Toss the pasta in the ricotta mixture and then add the meat sauce.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray the inside of a 9x13 inch casserole dish (a Pyrex dish works great) with olive oil spray.
Layer coated pasta in casserole dish. Place half of the pasta in an even layer in the casserole dish. And top with mozzarella cheese. Add the remaining pasta. Cover with foil and bake for 40 mins.
Remove dish for the oven and top with a mixture of mild cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with dried parsley and bake for about 10 mins until the cheese is melted.
Turn your oven up to broil and brown the cheese a bit on the top. Remove from the oven and cut into squares and enjoy!
**** Video tutorial is on my YouTube page Spilling the Sweet Tea and my IG page @spilling_the_sweet_tea***