We just wrapped up a week's worth of winter weather in north Texas that brought with it about 4 inches of sleet and nights down to 10 degrees into our area. It does what these storms usually do... snarls up traffic, freezes water pipes, damages buildings, trees and power lines, and forces a lot of folks to stay home for most of the week. On the one hand we were safe and didn't have any power outages, but on the other we had some minor property damage. And so it goes.
We did spend the week indoors and off the streets, staying warm and well fed... probably too well (lol). But there's only so much soup or stew a person can sit back and enjoy (we had two of our favorites, Brunswick Stew and Crack Chicken Noodle Soup), and we'd about reached our limit. So, it was time to bring out a different comfort food. As you know I've been a big fan of using my Dutch oven, and I'm also one who loves pasta. So, when I found this dish I said "score!" and added it to my list.
I have a confession and I've said it here before: I don't like Ricotta cheese. Nope, never ever. And this recipe had it listed in the ingredients. I've made only one dish with Ricotta in it, and I wasn't a fan. So, for this one I decided to swap it out. The most frequent recommendation for substituting Ricotta in a pasta dish is to use cottage cheese that's had the excess liquid strained out of it. Nope, I didn't like that idea either. So I went with another choice - cream cheese, or specifically Neufchâtel (American, not French), which is about 1/3 lower in fat than regular cream cheese. It was a little difficult to work with even when softened, but I was pleased with the results.
(Yes, I know the recipe photo is not very flattering. I blame it on the cheese :) )
Adapted from Dutch Oven Daddy
A classic dish with layers of pasta, a hearty meat sauce, and cheese, baked to perfection in a Dutch oven.
Adapted from Dutch Oven Daddy
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add ground beef and Italian sausage and cook until no longer pink, breaking the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess grease.
Add crushed or whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. At the end of cooking, taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Reserve 3 cups of sauce and set aside to cool.
While the sauce is cooking, preheat oven to 375 F and prepare the pasta according to package directions, cooking until just under al dente (usually about 5 minutes). Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool the pasta. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine the Neufchâtel or cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, 2 cups of the Mozzarella cheese, and the egg. Stir until blended; mixture will be thick and very stiff.
Add the pasta and the reserved meat sauce to the cheese mixture and stir to combine, breaking up and blending in the cheese as much as possible. Small clumps of cheese are okay.
Pour half of the pasta mixture into the bottom of a 5 quart or larger Dutch oven and spread in an even layer. Add half of the remaining meat sauce on top of the pasta, followed by half of the remaining Mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers of pasta, sauce, and cheese.
Cover and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Servings 8
Serving Size approx 2 cups (16 oz)
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.