Italian Casserole

Saturday evening our friends joined us for an Italian meal which consisted of a casserole that I hadn't made in years. I hadn't made this recipe in years because it serves an army, so to speak. So, if you have a large family, or want a recipe that goes together easily for a gathering of friends and family, I would recommend this one, and thankfully, I received their "thumbs-up" to share it with you. We had the required garlic bread and salad alongside the casserole, with strawberry shortcake for dessert, and lots of good conversation and laughter. Blessings...

Recipe:

6 cups spaghetti sauce, approximately
1 pound penne rigate pasta
1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage, if your sauce does not have meat in it
1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 8-oz. pkg. mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare your recipe for spaghetti sauce or use a good quality bottled sauce.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
3. If your spaghetti sauce does not have meat in it, cook ground beef or Italian sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until well-browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and drain off fat.
4. To the meat, stir in ricotta, Parmesan cheese, parsley, egg, and 4 cups of the spaghetti sauce until well mixed. Add pasta and stir gently to coat well. Taste and adjust seasoning adding more salt and pepper, if needed.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Spoon mixture into a 13" x 9" baking pan; pour remaining 2 cups spaghetti sauce, or more, if desired, over casserole. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Serves 8 - 12
Note: My pasta sauce recipe is posted on 2/20/2015, if you would like to try it.
Note: Casserole can be made in advance, covered, and refrigerated the day before serving. Bake in 350 degree oven, covered for about 1-1/2 hours, remove cover and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted.