Pasta Mostaccioli Mosta (Italian-American Beef, Olives and Cheese)

Three cheese baked Mostaccioli in a rich, flavourful homemade sauce. The black olives make this dish a little different from other red pasta dishes.

Pasta:
8 oz mostaccioli pasta
3 Tbsp. sea salt

Sauce:
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated
sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
¼ cup pasta water
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
½ cup ricotta
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Cook the pasta just before it reaches the al dente stage (this is usually 2 minutes less than the shortest cooking time on the pkg). Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water then drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Warm a deep skillet over medium-high heat then add a drizzle of olive oil, the ground beef, onions and grated garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the beef is no longer pink, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Once the beef is cooked, fold in the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, reserved pasta water, parsley, olives and tomato sauce and cook 3-4 minutes then fold in the ricotta and cooked pasta, combining completely.

Preheat an oven to 350°F (175°C/155°C fan, Gas Mark 3). Butter a 9×13" baking dish.

Add half of the mostaccioli to the prepared dish. Top with half of the mozzarella then add the rest of the mostaccioli, the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings.

Cook's Notes:

• Ground chuck can be used but drain any excess grease after cooking.
• Cottage cheese drained of its liquid can be used instead of ricotta.
• Penne, ziti or other short pasta can be used if you can't find mostaccioli.