Baked Pasta Shells Casserole Recipe With Ground Meat And Ricotta
This hot bubbling pasta casserole is mouthwatering! Pasta shells are baked with tomato sauce, ground meat, ricotta and cheddar cheese until perfection!
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add ground meat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through (no longer pink). Add minced garlic, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir for 1 minute.
Add the tomato sauce to the meat on the frying pan and mix until combined. Add the cooked pasta to the meat with tomato sauce and mix until combined. Remove from heat.
In a mixing bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg and 1/4 tsp salt.
Prepare a non-stick large baking pan (I use the glass Pyrex). Divide the pasta mixture into 2 parts. Put 1 part of the pasta mixture in the baking dish, and spread so it's an even layer. Spread the ricotta mixture on top of the pasta. Put the remaining pasta mixture on top of the ricotta layer. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with shredded cheese.
Put the assembled casserole in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
Notes
The pasta shells should be small or medium size - NOT the huge ones for stuffing!