Adriana's Pasta Pie

Total Time: 3 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (i used 95%lean and it was fine)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 3 cups cooked tubetti (tiny tubes or baby shells)
• 1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 lb provolone cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 56 ounces crushed tomatoes in puree
• 24 ounces tomato paste
• 20 ounces water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup fresh basil leaf, torn
• 2 ounces romano cheese
• parmesan cheese, for garnish

Recipe

• 1 read directions all the way through first********* meat crust: mix ground beef, parsley, bread crumbs, onion, eggs, 1/2 cup parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl very gently.
• 2 do not overmix.
• 3 put mixture into lightly greased 10-inch pie plate or 11" x 7" casserole dish.
• 4 shape crust so that it's about 1" thick.
• 5 tomato basil sauce:.
• 6 in large pot, cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil on low heat for 4 minutes only.
• 7 add tomatoes, paste, water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, sugar and basil leaves.
• 8 bring to boil.
• 9 reduce to low heat.
• 10 add chunk of romano cheese and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
• 11 filling:.
• 12 preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• 13 mix the filling (3 cups cooked pasta, 1/2 pound mozzarella, 1/2 pound provolone, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and 2 cups tomato basil sauce) in a bowl.
• 14 scoop into meat crust.
• 15 bake for 1 1/2 hours.
• 16 let cool for at least 15 minutes.
• 17 top each slice with tomato basil sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.