Baked Penne Parmesan

This robust pasta dish gives the taste buds a multitude of flavors, from sweet roasted garlic, fresh basil, tangy Parmesan, Italian herbs, and cherry tomatoes that absolutely melt in the mouth! It takes time, but is well worth it, and the aroma emanating from the kitchen? Forgeddaboudit! We baked this in a 5.5 quart Dutch oven, and it serves about 8 people, so you may cut the recipe if needed.

Ingredients:

Sauce:

2 large cans of crushed tomato (28oz.)

1/2 a jar of sun dried tomato-julienned

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 large onion

Basil and oregano (to taste)

Red wine

1 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

2 bay leaves

1 small sprig of rosemary

Pasta:

2 boxes of penne pasta noodles, (al dente), drained.

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced into halves

5 large leaves of fresh basil, sliced

1 bulb of garlic, roasted

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Roasted garlic:

Place entire bulb of garlic in foil and bake at 400 degrees for about an hour while preparing the sauce. After baking, let cool until able to be handled. Cut the top off and squeeze the soft garlic out of the skin and give it a rough chop. Set aside.

Sauce:

In a large skillet, heat enough olive  oil to lightly coat the bottom.  Sauté onion and  garlic cloves until  lightly browned and add balsamic vinegar. Add  tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes, then deglaze with a little red wine. Stir until thickened and add a little more red wine and cook down again. Add 1/2 a can of the crushed tomato and stir until cooked down and thickened. Then add the other half and repeat the process. Add the second can of crushed tomato, sun dried tomato, bay leaves, and rosemary and stir thoroughly.  Add basil and oregano to taste and simmer for about an hour.

Pasta:

In a large pot, boil 2 boxes of penne pasta until al dente. Drain and put back in the pot. Before using the sauce, fish out the bay leaves and rosemary. Now add half the sauce to the pasta and gently toss. Add the cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and roasted garlic, and fold in gently.  Lightly grease a 5 quart Dutch oven or large baking pan and add a little sauce to coat the bottom. Layer 1/2 the pasta mixture into the pan and add a layer of sauce, then sprinkle a layer of Parmesan until lightly coated. Add the second half of the pasta, more sauce, and another layer of Parmesan. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for 8-10 minutes more.