Baked Spaghetti with Fresh Basil and Smoked Mozzarella

5 Servings
100% would make this recipe for Baked Spaghetti with Fresh Basil and Smoked Mozzarella again.

Great flavor, and easy to make! This is perfect the way it is, but would also be great with some summer squash and/or zucchini.

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Baked Spaghetti with Fresh Basil and Smoked Mozzarella Ingredients

3/4 pound Dry spaghetti	1 cup Heavy cream
1 tablespoon Olive oil	2 teaspoons Dried oregano
1 medium Onion diced	1 teaspoon Salt
6 cloves Garlic more or less to taste, minced or pressed	1 1/2 teaspoons Black pepper
4 Roma tomatoes halved and then sliced	20 Fresh basil leaves
1 can (14.5-oz) Fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (regular crushed tomatoes would work fine too - just adjust seas	2 cups Smoked mozzarella cheese grated

Instructions for Baked Spaghetti with Fresh Basil and Smoked Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350F

Cook spaghetti until almost al dente (be careful not to overcook - it will cook more when it bakes; it should still be a little white in the middle when you put it in the oven).

In a medium skillet, heat oil, add onions, and saute until soft. Add garlic, and cook about a minute more. Add tomatoes, and cook about a minute or two. Add crushed tomatoes, and cook until sauce begins to simmer. Add cream, and cook until sauce begins to simmer. Add oregano, salt, and pepper, and simmer 5 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings - sauce should have a good, full flavor that won't be overwhelmed by the pasta.

Lightly oil a 9x9 baking dish, and add spaghetti. Pour sauce over spaghetti. Arrange basil leaves so that they cover the top. Sprinkle smoked mozzarella over the basil leaves.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes, until cheese is completely melted and a little bubbly.

Main Ingredient: PastaCuisine: Italian

Ingredient Insight - look inside this recipe

Basil

Black pepper

Cream

Garlic

Mozzarella

Olive Oil

Onion

Oregano

Salt

Tomatoes

Vegetarian Meatless Quick Bake Main Dish Italian Pasta Dinner

for flavor and categorization

This was a good dish, the next time I make it however I'd make a few adjustments. I would use a diferent type of pasta, penne, tubetti, etc. I would also shred the basil and add it to the sauce at the last minute. My kids picked out the leaves and tried to claim them as a vegetable. I would also mix some of the smoked mozzerella and regular. I don't know if I got an extremly potent variety, but it was a bit overpowering.

scturner97
on Jan 27 2008 7:41PM

Total Time: 0:30
Active time: 0:15

I made this up with things I had in my fridge and cupboard. Mostly I needed to use the basil, tomatoes, and smoked mozzarella, and didn''t want to make a trip to the store for anything. The smoked mozzarella really makes the dish, and the fresh basil is excellent! [I posted this recipe.]