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Baked Spaghetti

Source of Recipe

From "Lodge Cast Iron Nation"


Recipe Introduction

"A recipe passed down from his great-grandmother Dorothea Elizabeth Johnson, this is the first dish Kris Stubblefield learned how to make when he was growing up."

List of Ingredients

◦  2 Tbsp olive oil
◦  4 large cloves garlic, minced
◦  2 large yellow onions, chopped
◦  1½ tsp salt, divided
◦  2 pound 80% lean ground beef
◦  1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
◦  1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
◦  2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or dry red wine
◦  2 Tbsp sugar
◦  1 Tbsp garlic powder
◦  1 Tbsp dried basil
◦  1 Tbsp dried tarragon
◦  1 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste
◦  16 ounces angel hair pasta
◦  Mozzarella cheese as needed


Recipe

Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, garlic, onions, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and cook, stirring a few times, until the onions are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ground beef, and cook until no longer pink, breaking up any clumps of meat. Drain off any excess fat.

In a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, basil, tarragon, red pepper, and remaining 1¼ teaspoons salt. Simmer over medium to medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, then stir in the browned ground beef. Wipe out the skillet, and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Put a large pot of water on to boil.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and pour the pasta into the skillet you used to cook the beef. Pour the spaghetti sauce over the pasta. Shred as much mozzarella as you like over the top, covering the sauce.

Bake until the cheese is melted and starts to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.


Serves 6