Italian Casserole Dish

Cold weather always moves me toward the recipes that require baking in the oven. I like tomato and I like cheese so this dish is perfect - it heats up the house and warms the stomach! Perhaps, I'm thinking warmth more so right now because the company is updating and checking our air conditioning unit. In order to do so, they have to crank it up to the coldest temperature and it is working because I'm cold!

Anyway, this is a good, fast and easy dish to throw together on a busy day. You just need a salad and some garlic bread to set an elegant table laid out with a great meal. If you are looking for a heartier meal, brown and crumble a quarter pound or so of ground beef and add that to the pasta/sauce mixture and continue as indicated. Lots of creativity allowed in this recipe!

Italian Casserole Dish
8-10 ounces uncooked pasta shape of choice (not spaghetti, however)
2 eggs
2 cups cottage cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese, divided
1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
Pinch of chili flakes to taste
2-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, divided

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, spinach, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, Feta cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and chili flakes; set aside. Stir in 2 cups of spaghetti sauce into the pasta. Layer half of the pasta mixture in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with vegetable oil spray. Layer with spinach mixture, remaining pasta mixture and remaining spaghetti sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Cover and bake at 350° for approximately 45 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover and continue baking for another 10 minutes to brown the top a bit.