Buona Baked Pasta
by J. Baker
(Milwaukee, WI)
You may not think that this is truly Italian but when my German-Polish grandmother made it my Sicilian grandfather sure loved it!!!
INGREDIENTS
1 lb bacon
2 lb ground chuck
1 rotini pasta (corkscrew)
1-29oz. can tomato sauce
1-26oz. can condensed tomato soup
salt and pepper
PREPARATION
In a dutch oven fry bacon until crisp.
Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.
Brown and crumble ground chuck in the bacon grease.
Drain cooked chuck in a colander.
Leave bacon grease residue in dutch oven and cook pasta according to package directions.
Put cooked chuck, tomato sauce, and tomato soup into large mixing bowl.
Drain pasta thoroughly and add to meat and sauce. Add salt to taste and a generous amount of black pepper.
Crumble bacon on top and mix thoroughly.
Put into 9" x 13" baking pan. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes.
Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.
{HINT}
It's even better if made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. When taken out of refrigerator, bake covered at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
