Greg’s Baked Pasta with Meat Sauce
Serves 8

1 pound large, but short pasta (think rigatoni or medium shells)
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 jar of Classico Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce (he’s picky about this)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (or more to taste – he uses alot of oregano)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook and drain the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, brown the beef and sausage together in a large skillet, then stir in the sauce. Layer 1/2 of the cooked pasta in the bottom of a 9 x 11 baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the meat sauce and a sprinkling of oregano, then 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat with pasta, sauce, oregano, cheese. Bake at 375 just until cheese melts through, about 10-15 minutes. Note: when layering the sauce, leave some noodles exposed at the sides so they get a little crunchy when you bake it (see photo) – that’s Greg’s “secret” technique! If this were my recipe (and trust me it’s not) I would add some fresh basil, some Parimigiano, perhaps some ricotta, and I’d make my own sauce – but that’s just me.