Nonna Wambach’s Pasta for Thousands

This recipe was a favorite in Abby’s childhood home where her mama had to cook for 7 kids and often for friends and family on top of that. I road tested this dish recently and it was a BIG HIT. This is comfort food at its best. It’s like a combination of lasagne, ziti and pizza and it will work great for a crowd. It’s perfect for game day, a potluck, a family celebration or dinner on a Tuesday night. And as Abby says— it’s often better the next day. You will see a few tips in my notes from my experience making this dish in my kitchen and my happy grandson in the last snapshot certainly enjoyed Nonna Wambach’s treasured dish. He gobbled it up!

Ingredients

• 2 large jars Ragu spaghetti sauce

• 2 lbs med pasta shells

• 1/2 lb hot Italian sausage 

• 1/2 lb ground beef (If you want all sausage use 1 lb of sausage)

• 1 cup sour cream (optional)

• 1 pkg sliced pepperoni

• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1 pkg sliced Sargento provolone cheese

• Parmesan cheese

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brown meat in frying pan.

3. Cook pasta shells according to the package and drain.

4. Put sauce in pan and add meat.

5. Simmer for 10 min. 

6. Cover the bottom of a 9X12 casserole dish with 1 cup of pasta sauce.

7. Put half of the shells in the dish next.

8. Next cover that layer with sauce.

9. Put provolone cheese slices on top of sauce layer.

10. Arrange pepperoni on top of the provolone layer.

11. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and half of the mozzarella.

12. Dot that layer with sour cream and add remaining shells.

13. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella cheese.

14. Cover with remaining sauce.

15. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hr or until the center of the dish is hot and bubbling.

16. Add any remaining cheese for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Michele’s Kitchen Notes

This is a great dish for a big crowd. It can also be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator but must come to room temperature before cooking. If frozen allow for extra baking time. 

This recipe was a real crowd pleaser. I made it in two separate medium sized aluminum pans so I could easily transport one to my oldest son’s house for his family.

It might be good to have a little extra red sauce on hand. I wound up using a full pound of ground beef because I did not want the other half to go to waste. I also upped the seasonings because my family prefers bold flavors. 

Italian seasonings, garlic salt and our favorite Back of The Yards garlic pepper from The Spice House all worked great with this dish. 

Be sure to let it cool before serving. That will require a lot of patience because it looks so good coming out of the oven. 

Serve with a crisp green salad and you’ve got a happy bunch of people at your table.