Baked Rigatoni With Meat Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 lb rigatoni pasta
• 1 lb lean ground beef (at least 90% lean)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup wine
• 4 cups canned diced tomatoes in tomato puree
• 6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded

Recipe

• 1 in large pan heat oil& butter over low heat.
• 2 add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, basil and cook until very soft, about 20 minutes.
• 3 raise heat to moderate, add ground beef, fennel seed, salt and black pepper, cook until no longer pink.
• 4 add wine and cook until almost evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• 5 add tomatoes with juices and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
• 6 stir in parmesan and continue to cook.
• 7 preheat oven to 350, and lightly grease 3 quart baking dish.
• 8 in a large pot of boiling water cook rigatoni until almost al dente, about 12 minutes.
• 9 drain, toss pasta with meat sauce.
• 10 put 1/2 of the mixture in dish, sprinkle with 1/2 the mozzarella, cover with remaining pasta mixture, and top with remaining cheese.
• 11 bake until pasta is hot, about 20 minutes.