PIZZA PASTA

Instructions

1. Ok, so this has been my go to recipe since my beginner cooking days. Hence the store bought pasta sauce. Now, you know what I say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" and this dish definitely is not in any need of fixing....
2. The ingredients for this dish are really just a few. Trust me! Everyone will go crazy for this. It really tastes like pizza!! So cheesy and deliciously saucy. My favorite part is the overcooked edges. Yummy!!! Kids love this, adults love it. It's always part of my buffet table when I'm entertaining large crowds. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
4. Boil the pasta with 3 teaspoons of salt in the water for 8 minutes(al dente). This sounds like a lot, but it will not be salty.
5. Drain the pasta and place in a lasagna baking pan.
6. Pour the 2 jars of pasta sauce over the penne.
7. Add some olive oil, basil, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes and some black pepper.
8. Mix it up well and add about a cup of the shredded cheese. Mix again and taste the seasoning to check if it needs more salt. Add salt if necessary.
9. Sprinkle all the rest of the shredded cheese on the top and spread out.
10. Sprinkle a little more basil and a bit of crushed red pepper flakes over the cheese, if you like it a little spicy like I do...
11. Cover loosely with a large piece of aluminum foil, tented. Make sure that the foil is not touching the cheese, otherwise the cheese will get stuck on it.
12. Bake covered with foil for 45 minutes.
13. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until the cheese gets bubbly and the edges get slightly charred. Those are the tastiest part 🙂
14. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes and serve!
15. Enjoy!