Penne & Meatballs Pasta Bake
Recipe by Sarah Copeland @edibleliving
Ingredients
12 ounces penne rigate
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 25-oz jars King’s Private Label Tomato Basil Sauce
6 Kings prepared meatballs or homemade large meatballs (about 1 lb)
8 ounces buffalo mozzarella or fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
½ heaping cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, for serving (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.
Cook the pasta until al dente, about 1 minute shy of the package directions (it will soften further while it bakes. Meanwhile, coat a 9 x 13" casserole with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Drain the pasta and add to the casserole, spreading out into an even layer. Pour over two jars of tomato basil sauce evenly. Set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large non-stick skillet and cook the meatballs, browning evenly on all sides, about 8 minutes (they will still be raw in the middle, but there should be a nice even browning all over).
Tuck the meatballs into the sauce and pasta, arranging around the casserole to your liking. Tear the mozzarella into bite-size pieces and tuck around the casserole. Sprinkle the parmesan over the top. Season with salt and pepper and bake until the meatballs are cooked through and the cheese is bubbly and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve warm, with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano on top.