Tuesday, August 28, 2012

BAKED PENNONI WITH BEEF AND FRESH TOMATOES

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Yummy recipe today that your whole family will enjoy!  The secret is to use the freshest tomatoes you can find---I got mine from a local nursery.  Also be sure to include different colors and sizes of tomatoes because they bring a lot of flavors and nutrition to the table.  Get your kids involved as you assemble this dish---they will learn a lot!

Ingredients:
Sauce: Combine the following to make a beautiful fresh sauce.
6 cups chopped fresh tomatoes; I used  red vine- ripened, red local garden, yellow and red cherry, yellow grape and miniature heirloom varieties all mixed together.
1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped
2 large red bell peppers, coarsely chopped
2 T. olive oil
2 t. salt
2 t. black pepper
3 t. sugar
½ cup (or more) fresh basil
*Place all ingredients in a large, deep pan and allow to boil.  Then reduce to simmer, stirring often.  Simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until mixture thickens and vegetables soften.

2 pounds lean ground beef, browned, rinsed and drained.
1 and ½ cups reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 small can tomato paste
 3 cups reduced fat Italian cheese blend
½ cup (or more) freshly grated parmesiana-reggiano cheese
4 cups (more or less) of Pennoni pasta

Instructions:
*In a large bowl combine cooked fresh tomato sauce mixture, browned ground beef, ricotta cheese and tomato paste.
*Spray a rectangular pyrex baking dish with PAM
*Spread half of beef and tomato mixture in bottom of baking dish.
*Layer half of pasta next.
*Sprinkle a layer of cheese on top of pasta.
*Repeat layers—ending with cheese.
*Bake at 350 degrees until top is golden and the entire pasta dish is bubbly and hot throughout.

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