Three Cheese Pasta Bake

Three Cheese Pasta Bake  Super easy, super tasty - with a crispy salad and some crusty bread, a winter warmer with maximum comfort factor.
Servings: 4 yield(s)
Ingredients
  • 1 medium Onion - finely diced
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 2 cloves Garlic - finely sliced
  • 400 g tin Diced Tomato
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 0.5 tsp Table Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 0.25 tsp dried Oregano
  • 0.5 cup roaste Capsicum (Bell Pepper) - cut into strips
  • 200 g mild Vegetarian Salami - thinly sliced
  • 0.5 cup pitted Kalamata Olives
  • 300 g Ziti or Penne pasta
  • 200 g Ricotta cheese
  • 200 g Mozzarella cheese - thinly sliced
  • 60 g Parmesan cheese - grated
Instructions
  1. Preheat a grill on high heat. Place capsicum, skin side up, on a tray and grill for 10 minutes or until the skin turns black. Alternatively, blacken the skin over a stove burner or with a kitchen blowtorch.
  2. Place capsicum in a plastic bag. Twist top to seal. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  3. Peel and discard capsicum skin. Cut the capsicum into strips.
  4. Sauté the onion in the oil, in a large pan, over a low heat for 20 minutes, until lightly caramelised. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
  5. Add the diced tomato, salt, pepper, oregano and capsicum - bring to a simmer.
  6. Simmer covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Add the olives and 75g of the salami. Simmer for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  8. Heat oven to 180°C.
  9. Meanwhile, cook the pasta for about three minutes less than the packet directions. Drain.
  10. Stir through a third of the pasta sauce.
  11. Place half the coated pasta into a 20cm square baking dish.
  12. Cover with another third of the pasta sauce and spoon over the ricotta cheese.
  13. Cover with the remaining pasta and another layer of the remaining pasta sauce.
  14. Cover with the mozzarella, scatter with the Parmesan and place the remaining salami on top.
  15. Bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the pasta cooked.
  16. Grind over a little more black pepper and serve.