Baked Pasta with Savory Meat Sauce

This is worth the effort!

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium onion finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup minced parsley

small handful of chopped fresh basil leaves

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk chopped

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 pound rigatoni pasta

1/2 cup fresh grated Romano cheese

1/2 pound thinly sliced provolone

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium, add onion, garlic, parsley, basil, carrot and celery.  Saute till tender and then add ground beef until beef turns brown.  Pour in wine, turn heat on high and boil till wine evaporates. Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste, simmer for one hour.

Cook pasta in boiling salted water.   Drain and toss with sauce and Romano.  Lightly oil 9 x 13 pan with olive oil. Alternate layers of meat and sauce mixture with layers of provolone.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese melts. 

This dish can be prepared early and frozen or refrigerated for 2  - 3 days, in this case bring to room temperature bake for 30 - 35 minutes.