There is NOTHING better than a baked pasta dish with really good tomato-based sauce.
Ingredients
1 bag of frozen cheese-filled tortellini
1 pound of extra-lean ground sirloin
2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 of a yellow sweet onion, finely diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1-12 oz. can of tomato paste
6 cups of tomato sauce (I use our's from our garden)
2 Tablespoons of Splenda (or 1 Tablespoon of white sugar)
1 Tablespoon of Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese
non-stick cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large saucepan cook the tortellini according to the al dente directions on the package. Drain and reserve the saucepan.
While the pasta is cooking, brown the sirloin in a skillet. Use a metal potato masher to break into small pieces while cooking. When cooked through, remove to a plate covered with a paper towel.
Using the tortellini's saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until aromatic, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the tomato paste, mix everything, and allow to heat for about 3-4 minutes. Using a wire whisk, add in the tomato sauce, salt, pepper, Splenda (or sugar), and Italian seasoning. Allow everything to simmer for about 10 minutes to infuse flavors.
Add the tortellini and sirloin to the sauce and mix well. Toss in the grated Parmesan and mix. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.
***WHY SUGAR? My grandmother taught me this trick. If you are using home-made tomato sauce, straight from your garden, it is sometimes bitter. Adding just a little sugar to the sauce helps remove the bitter taste.
***This also applies to dishes using home-grown peppers, except use brown sugar instead of white.
