Name: Savory Chinese Pasta Bake
Ingredients: 1 can 12 oz. tomato paste; 3 cups water; 1 tsp. basil; 1 tsp. oregano; 1 large bay leaf; 1 clove garlic (minced); 1 medium-sized onion (chopped); 1 tsp. salt; Dash of pepper; 2 or 3 Italian sausage links (optional); ½ lb. lean ground beef; ½ cup cracker or bread crumbs; 1 egg; Pinch of oregano; Pinch of basil; Salt to taste; Pepper to taste; 1 clove garlic (minced); 1 small onion (finely chopped); 2 tbsp. grated Romano or Parmesan cheese; Vegetable oil for frying; 8 oz. mostaccioli or rigatoni noodles (uncooked); 1 quart sauce (see above); 25 to 30 small meatballs (see above); 1 or 2 hard-cooked eggs (sliced); ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese; Dash of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Instructies

For the Sauce:

Combine all sauce ingredients in a Dutch oven.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Add water if the sauce becomes too thick.
Remove the lid about 15 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken.
It should be heavy and smooth.

For the Meatballs:

Mix all meatball ingredients (except oil) in a large bowl.
Roll about 1 tbsp.
of the mixture between your palms to create meatballs about ½ inch in diameter.
Brown meatballs in a frying pan with about ½ inch of oil or bake in a shallow pan at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

Assembling the Pasta Bake:

Boil noodles according to package directions and drain.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In an 8×8-inch baking dish or cake pan, layer ingredients: a small amount of sauce, followed by noodles, meatballs, and egg slices.
Add another layer of sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese.
Reserve some sauce for pouring over each portion after baking.
Sprinkle with Romano or Parmesan cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling and heated through.
Allow the Chinese Pasta Bake to cool slightly before cutting into squares for serving.
Pour the remaining sauce over each serving.

Savory Chinese Pasta Bake