Italian Meats and Poultry Recipes - Three-Cheese Meatball Casserole

Ingredients           

• 16 ounces dried cut ziti or penne pasta

• 1 26-ounce jar tomato-base pasta sauce

• 1 16-ounce package frozen Italian-style cooked meatballs (32), thawed

• 1 15-ounce can Italian-style tomato sauce

• 1 15-ounce carton ricotta cheese

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)

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Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Return pasta to hot saucepan.

2. Stir in pasta sauce, meatballs, and tomato sauce. Transfer to a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine ricotta cheese and Parmesan cheese. Uncover pasta mixture and spoon ricotta mixture in mounds over pasta mixture.

4. Cover loosely; bake about 10 minutes more or until heated through. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 5 minutes more.