During these days, it is smart to buy different kinds of pasta since storing them is easy. We have a bunch in our pantry and tried to satisfy my extreme craving for mac & cheese with a twist.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
8 oz. elbow macaroni
12 oz. pasta sauce
8 cloves of garlic
1 cup of sliced tomatoes
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
½ cup of fresh basil (half to be used for the pasta sauce and the other half for the topping)
mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese
breadcrumbs
For taste: salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili pepper flakes (optional)
Directions:
- Cook the elbow macaroni in boiling water with salt, cook until ‘al dente’ and reserve a cup of pasta water (tip: cook until 2 minutes earlier than the prescribed cooking time on the pasta package)
- Sauté garlic and tomato in oil
- Add the ground turkey then add salt, pepper, and basil (add chili pepper flakes if you want to add a kick to the sauce)
- Pasta sauce should be added when the turkey has been cooked, simmer in low heat
- Add the cooked pasta then simmer again
- Incorporate the pasta water as needed (you might need less than 1 cup)
- Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder according to your taste
- Layer the first batch of pasta on a Pyrex container
- Make a layer with mozzarella, parmesan, and basil
- Make another layer of pasta and top it all off with another with mozzarella, parmesan, basil, then seal the deal with breadcrumbs
- Bake in the oven at 400 F / 200 C for 30 minutes
Voila! Extreme Cravings for the day, accomplished!