Leftover Italian Bake

So, I originally set out to bake a WWII Wartime Loaf today, however, much to my sadness, when I tested the yeast it had gone bad & I simply didn't have the energy to go to the store to get more. So it was a no go. Total bummer because I was looking forward to some bread and jam for my breakfast tomorrow. I guess I’ll be having cereal like the kiddos! Anyways, I decided to take a break from history and instead bring you an easy recipe that I concocted using leftovers from last night and stuff I had in my fridge.

In the spirit of frugality --- which was, historically speaking, very important ---

…and in the love I have for Italian food, I bring you...

Leftover Italian Bake!

Ingredients:

Left over noodles with sauce **any noodle that has spaghetti sauce cooked from the night before will do (I had approx. 5 cups of Penne Rigate noodles with meatballs)

1 cup tomato purée or sauce (about 1-10.75 can)

2 Tablespoons of cream cheese, cubed

1 egg

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan (for top)

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella (for top)

Casserole dish - approx. 2 qt.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*F. Cube cream cheese. Toss cream cheese, egg, leftover spaghetti, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, 1/2 cup Parmesan & 1/2 cup cheddar (or mozzarella) in a bowl & mix well. Place the mix into a casserole dish. Cook uncovered for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven. Mix the bake -- mixing the cream cheese well. Place remaining cheese on top of casserole. And cook an additional 10 minutes.

Mix all the Ingredients together. Bake 375 for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes in oven, mix ingredients once again and top with cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes.

 

Once done, let the bake rest for a couple of minutes. I broiled old hamburger buns topped with butter and garlic for a frugal garlic-bread side dish while the bake cooled. 

Voila! A Tasty second-day meal from leftover pasta.  

You'll notice that I used Penne Rigate with sauce and meatballs for my base, truly, this recipe can be altered, added too, and changed based on your tastes & what you have on hand. All in all it's a great way to use up those spaghetti leftovers.

So put on some Luciano Pavarotti, pour a glass of your favorite Italian red wine and enjoy some second-day Italian cuisine! 

Ciao XOXO, 

TheHistoryGirl