Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Baked Mostaccioli



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Have you ever noticed how young male appetites aren't affected by extremes of heat or cold? I must admit that baked mostaccioli is the last thing I'd normally think of serving on a hot summer night. This, however, is a dish that has a couple of things to commend it. It is, of course, delicious and quite filling. It's also easy to prepare and can be made by novice cooks. What I find most interesting about this version of the recipe, however, is its history. This is the recipe that was used to make the mostaccioli served to Mafia dons at, what the IRS came to call, "The Last Supper". The meal was held at the Sicily Restaurant in Chicago to announce the retirement of two mob bosses, only one one of whom was retiring voluntarily. Within five years most of the dons, seen in the picture to the left, would be dead, falling victim to old age rather than internecine warfare and this occasion was their last hurrah. I'm posting the recipe as it was written, but a jarred tomato sauce can certainly replace the one called for in the recipe. That puts the recipe within the realm of possibility even for young cooks. Here's how the mostaccioli served at that last supper is made.


Baked Mostaccioli...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 pound mild Italian sausage
3 (8-oz.) cans unseasoned tomato sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound mostaccioli
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
2) Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Remove casing from Italian sausage. Add to skillet and brown.
3) Add tomato sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and black pepper to skillet. Stir to mix well. Bring contents of skillet to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
4) Meanwhile, cook mostaccioli according to package directions. Drain.
5) Place half of cooked pasta in baking pan, making sure bottom of pan is completely covered. Cover with half of tomato sauce and half of cheese. Create another layer using remaining mostaccioli, tomato sauce and cheese.
6) Bake, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until top layer of cheese is completely melted. If desired, brown under broiler. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.






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53 comments :

Unknown said...

My grandma used to make us baked mostaccioli all the time! It has been a favorite of mine forever!!
Love the pictures of all the dons.. and the history behind the recipe. We just got done watching "Mob Week" on AMC.. watched a long list of great gangster movies!

sally said...

I love easy baked pasta dishes. This one looks so cheesy and delicious!

tinyskillet said...

I love baked pasta with all that melted cheese on top. I don't have any young men around, but we tend to still bake dinner here in Florida...not too many cold evenings. I made some sausage lentil soup the other day and thought that would be a nice fall meal.

It is so much better to have the history behind a dish! Love it!

Kim said...

Of course, its not properly a summer dish, but sometimes, in summer, we crave for something more comforting, like this dish. It looks good!

Mr. Bill said...

Looks WONDERFUL!

Diane said...

This is the sort of dish that we would love and that my husband would be able to make :-) Diane

Clint said...

Sounds like an offer I can't refuse!

RATOLINHA said...

Que aspecto maravilhoso!!!
Mais uma vez um prato delicioso.
Beijos

Heather S-G said...

That looks KILLER! My appetite wouldn't be affected by the heat if that were in front of me.

Beloved Green said...

I didn't even read the recipe at first, I just looked at the photo and my mouth started watering - so good!

Anonymous said...

I'm going to make this over the weekend! It looks fantastic!

Terri @ that's some good cookin' said...

Excellent recipe! That toasty mozzarella on top is perfectly done. My Italian brother in-law taught me that that is the way Italians like their mozzarella! Mmmm...I need to make this very soon.

June said...

Yum. Love the stuff and my mouth is absolutely weeping at the moment; stomach's growling too. Darn!

That Girl said...

We're having pasta for dinner tonight, but I'm shooting for an oven free version.

Jennifer said...

I cannot wait to make this, I cant stand to cook in the heat so it will have to wait till Fall!

Joanne said...

My appetite is actually also quite heat-resistant. This looks fantastic!

Anonymous said...

wow this is a new dish to me,, boy it looks great and yes I agree teen boys will eat a hot plate supper in 100 degree heat,, bottomless pits they have for tummies

Valérie said...

I thought my knowledge of pasta was pretty good, but I didn't even know what mostaccioli are... The baked dish looks delicious, I'd eat it even during a heat wave!

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

I loved reading about the "Last Supper"!! I'm going to be making this recipe soon.

Martha said...

another perfectly baked dish! looks scrumptious! you are right about them not being affected by heat or cold, I have 3 of them that will just about anything temperature-wise anytime!:)

Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina said...

Put me in a nice cold air conditioned room and I could eat this whole pan. Interesting story behind the recipe. Printing now!

David said...

Mary, That is a pretty and very tempting entree! Simple ingredients and easy to put together...but I'd have to substitute the spicy Italian sausage. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

PeggyR said...

That looks so good. I don't know if I like Mexican or Italian better!

Susan said...

What a great post, Mary! Yours looks restaurant-worthy!

Lynn said...

Looks like a great dinner Mary, I'm sure the boys loved it:@)

Karen S Booth said...

What a fabulous post and photo too............I know what you mean, I often think of pasta bakes being winter dishes, but in reality they can be just as good with a crispy green salad on a summers day too!
LOVE the history behind this recipe ~ thank you!
Karen

AllThingsYummy said...

Love the story behind the dish. Looks delicious.

brokeintrovert said...

Isn't if funny that the pasta means "little mustaches" in italian and the early mafia guys were called "mustached petes?"

Anonymous said...

I would definitely still be able to eat this on a hot, summer night. WOW. The baked cheese on top looks absolutely divine. Sounds delicious, Mary!

Ginny Hartzler said...

I am going to try this, but perhaps leave out the meat, that might work, and be less standing for me. It looks so good. I used to make it quite a bit when I was much younger. Something else that I used to make a lot was a casserole called Pastitchio, layers of pasta and meat and cream sauce with a touch of cinnamon. It looks a bit like this, but is so tiresome to make!

Faith said...

What a great history behind this dish! Food with a story always tastes better, doesn't it? ;) This really looks incredible, Mary. Hope you're having a wonderful week!

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

Oh so very pretty ... I just love that baked cheese look!

Anonymous said...

I haven't notices about apetite with man.Just came to my mind how my mother complained when we were teenagers taht we live in the fridge;)

JG said...

What a delicious looking pasta dish! For any season! :)
~Judy

Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine said...

We eat this often, no matter what it satisfies every hungry crowd yours looks awesome!

Gloria Baker said...

Look delicious Mary, really delicious!! gloria

Maris (in Good Taste) said...

I am bookmarking this to make for my brother because he is going to love this!

Debbie said...

Exactly my kind of food and I second Jenn when I say that I also watched AMC's Mob Week last week!!!!

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

Greetings to you, Mary. What an interesting history indeed. Definitely man food! Will have to remember this recipe when the occasion warrants a big, flavorful pasta dish. Can't wait to try it.

Ben said...

Mary, I love the recipe, and I love its history. When a dish has a story as rich as its flavor, it's a guaranteed winner. Thank you for both!

Ben
http://kissthecook-ben.blogspot.com/

xinex said...

Looking so delish, Mary!...Christine

polwig said...

This looks amazing, my daughter is a lover of anything pasta and italian so I should make this for her once she is over her vegetarian diet, or maybe I should just show it to her that way she will come back to reality faster. Where was the Sicilian Restaurant? My family would always go to similar restaurant next to O'Hare airport and it was filled with interesting characters. There was also this really cool restaurant called La Borsa downtown (next to train tracks) that you would never know if it was open for business or not. Love places like this,great character.

Big Dude said...

It looks and sounds delicious Mary - I like the simplicity of the recipe

Cooking Creation said...

My husband is that way and I am constantly cooking meals like this in 100-degree weather! This looks so comforting and my family would love it, especially with the history involved with it :) Bookmarking!

Anonymous said...

As weather motivated as I am, I do miss comfort foods like this during the summer months.

Lauren Hairston said...

This is one of my favorite dishes to order at Italian-American restaurants, but I've never made it at home. Thanks for the recipe!

Sunday at the Giacometti's said...

Lovely story.. love this pasta.. saw a baked pasta today with ham and cream that reminds me of a final meal.lol So guess what's for dinner tonight? I guess if i were having a final meal, I would have to agree! looks delicious~Smiles, barbara

Melinda said...

You had me at PASTA, CHEESE and BAKED!!!

Melinda

Lynne said...

Love the look of this. I had to google mostaccioli - turns out it's penne. Who knew? Well, probably everyone else, ha ha.
That clarified this is on the menu for dinner tomorrow night. Thanks :-)

briarrose said...

Such a beautiful dish. It calls to my pasta loving heart.

Ciao Chow Linda said...

Oh Mary - I'd eat this delicious looking dish even on the hottest nights.

Unknown said...

I've got a nice veggie sausage recipe that would go great with this. Really like the look of yours.

The Harried Cook said...

I have been away from blogging for a while now, and am enjoying catching up on the yummy posts I've missed... This is up there with the yummiest of them! Looks amazing... I am bookmarking it, Mary! Thanks for sharing :)

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