Three Cheese Meatball Mostaccioli Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add mostaccioli and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
• Transfer mostaccioli to a large glass baking dish. The pasta should reach about halfway to the rim of the dish. Cover with as much spaghetti sauce as you like, at least enough to almost cover the pasta.
• Place meatballs in a microwave-save dish and heat in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Spread out on top of the pasta. Cover entirely with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and cheese is completely melted, 15 to 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, a good pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage; cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until crumbled, golden brown and no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper; cook, stirring, until the garlic is tender and the tomato paste is thoroughly combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, parsley sprigs and 1/4 cup water and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cover partially with a lid and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the flavors have melded, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, stir together the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the Pecorino Romano, the egg, remaining 1/4 teaspoon oregano, pinch of salt and a couple grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl until smooth and combined; set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Once the meat sauce is finished cooking, remove the parsley sprigs and discard. Stir in the al dente mostaccioli until well coated.
• Transfer half of the pasta and sauce to the prepared baking dish, then spread the ricotta mixture on top in an even layer with a rubber spatula or small offset spatula. Top with the remaining pasta and sauce, followed by the mozzarella, then the remaining 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano.
• Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is bubbling at the edges, 10 to 15 minutes more. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Heat conventional oven to 375 degrees F.
• Prepare mostaccioli as directed on package, rinse and drain, set aside.
• In 2-quart souffle dish or 2-quart casserole, microwave margarine at high for 45 seconds or until melted. Stir in flour, basil, salt and pepper. Blend in milk. Microwave at high for 6 to 10 minutes, or until mixture thickens and bubbles, stirring with whisk every 2 minutes.
• Stir in 1 cup Cheddar cheese, monterey jack cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Stir to melt. Stir in cooked mostaccioli.
• Arrange tomato slices on top of pasta mixture, if using. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned around edges.

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Crumble sausage into a Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and pasta. In a large bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese. , Spoon half of the pasta mixture into a greased shallow 3-qt. baking dish; layer with cheese mixture and remaining pasta mixture. , Cover and bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Uncover; top with Romano cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until heated through.