Mostaccioli

Mostaccioli is a cheesy baked pasta dish, similar to lasagne, but not quite as labor intensive. My mom made it often when I was growing up.  And every time she would her eyes would get wide and she'd rub her hands together in delight as she said "I'm making mostaccioli tonight!"

For some reason, I really like using cheddar cheese in this dish instead of mozzarella. Isn't the orange pretty?

Mostaccioli pasta are very similar to penne; the only difference is that they may not be ridged.  But if you look close, you'll see that my pasta have ridges, even though they were marked as mostaccioli.  So use whatever!

Mostaccioli
from my mother

½ c. chopped green pepper
½ c. chopped onion
1 lb. ground Italian sausage
16 oz. tomato sauce
½ lb. grated sharp cheddar or mozzarella
½ c. Parmesan cheese
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. coarse pepper
2 14-oz. cans diced or whole tomatoes
16 oz. Mostaccioli noodles

Sauté the pepper, onions, and sausage. Chop and add tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Cook noodles according to package. Place 1/3 meat sauce in bottom of greased 2-qt. pan. Cover with half of noodles, 1/3 remaining meat sauce, and half of cheese. Layer with the rest of noodles, sauce, and cheese; cover the top with all the Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes uncovered.