A while back I had to make a recipe of The Pioneer women’s and it required marinara sauce.

Of course I have never come across this sauce in the super market so I had to make it myself. I made a huge batch and froze the rest of the mixture.

I was cleaning the freezer the other day when I came across the last, lonely packet at the back and instead of throwing it out with the other stuff that had somehow gotten freezer burn right through the packet.

I came up with a better idea to put it to use, so I went back to Ree Drummond’s cookbooks to look for a appetizing recipe that used marinara sauce.

I came across this recipe and it looked so delicious that I could not wait to go to bed and get up the next morning to tackle this recipe.

I was a bit daunted by this recipe as it used a tub of ricotta cheese, I have never tasted it before. I have seen it in the stores but never ever thought of putting it in my basket.

The verdict, I loved it, my dad loved it. The left overs I kept for me and the following day was a fasting day so all the left overs was for me. That fasting day I made soya mince for my parents to eat and I placed it in a similar container as to the ziti and I left them side by side. When my dad got home, he made a plate hot and when I walked into the kitchen I saw what he was eating, I asked if he wasn’t fasting.

Apparently he had gotten confused between the meat and the soya mince dish, he blamed me for breaking his fast, yet I wasn’t even near him, I wasn’t even home yet in my defence. Anyone to take the blame for his mistakes… I think all men are like that especially when they are in the wrong.

Ingredients:

• 2 x tbsp. olive oil.
• 1 x onion, finely chopped.
• 3 x cloves garlic, minced.
• 1kg x beef mince.
• 1 x can whole tomatoes.
• 1 x jar marinara sauce.
• 2 x tsp Italian seasoning.
• ½ x tsp red chilli flakes.
• 1 x tsp salt.
• 1 x tsp black pepper.
• 1 x pound, cooked macaroni.
• 1 x tub ricotta cheese.
• 500g x mozzarella grated.
• ½ x cup parmesan cheese, grated.
• 1 x egg.
• 2 x tbsp. mince parsley.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pot.
• Add the garlic, onion and mince.
• Cook till the mince has browned, stirring to break up any lumps.
• Add the tin of tomatoes, marinara sauce and Italian seasoning.
• Add the salt and pepper and give it a good stir.
• Cover and cook for 30 – 45 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.
• Uncover and toss in the pasta.
• Allow the pasta to heat through
• Remove from the heat and mix in the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and egg.
• Before pouring the entire contents of the pot into a greased oven proof dish.
• If you like sprinkle some more cheese over the top.
• Pop into a preheated oven and bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cheese is deliciously brown.
• Top with the chopped parsley.