Tomato and Mozzarella al Forno

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 14-oz cans Italian plum tomatoes, chopped, or 2 lbs fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped (we usually just use regular Safeway cans of tomatoes)
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
• salt, black pepper
• 1 lb dried pasta (tubes or shapes)
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 1-inch dice
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus additional to serve

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Heat oil in a skillet.
3. Add garlic and cook over medium-high heat until fragrant, 1 minute.
4. Add tomatoes and oregano and simmer rapidly, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 minutes.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove and reserve 6 tablespoons tomato sauce from the pan.
7. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water, until just firm to the bite.
8. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
9. Toss drained pasta with remaining sauce, adding reserved water as needed.
10. Place half the pasta in an oiled 13x19x3-inch ovenproof dish. Cover with half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan. Top with remaining pasta. Cover with reserved tomato sauce and remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
11. Bake until golden and bubbling, 15 minutes (we like to bake it longer, 25-30 minutes, for extra awesomeness).

Notes

This is a nice and easy sauce that I also use for lasagna these days, blending after cooking. You can also make this up and freeze it for up to 3 weeks before baking it. Sara 04:59, 15 January 2012 (UTC)