Lessons in Chemistry | Baked Spaghetti Bolognese
Lessons in Chemistry was the book of casseroles. Although fitting for the time, I was honestly hoping for a bit more foody inspiration. Even if casseroles did suit Elizabeth’s no-nonsense attitude.
I nearly took on the challenge of trying to create a delicious spinach casserole, but in the end I chose to go with the Baked Spaghetti Bolognese that Mad was eating when Elizabeth got the call about doing Supper at Six. Not only because it actually sounded delicious, but because it represents the turning point in the book where Elizabeth gets to take back the reins a bit, and ultimately show the controlling men in her life that women know what women want more than they do. Who would have thought?
Baked Spaghetti Bolognese
Serves: 5
Sauce Ingredients
1 lb extra lean ground beef (or veggie alternative)
1 small onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 (700ml) jar pasta sauce
1/2 cup water
Bake Ingredients
500g dried spaghetti
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
chopped fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
In a pan set over medium heat, begin to brown ground beef with 1 tsp salt. Add onion and green pepper. Cook until beef is cooked through and veggies are tender. Add garlic, herbs, and remaining salt. Cook one minute. Stir in pasta sauce. Add 1/2 cup water to the pasta sauce jar, close and shake it up. Add to the sauce. Stir until bubbly, then lower heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in salted boiling water, undercooking it by several minutes (it will continue to cook in the oven).
Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Stir in spaghetti until evenly coated. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Smooth out the top and sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan. Bake @ 375F for 20 minutes (if baking from the fridge, add an extra 10 minutes). Lastly, turn on the broiler for a few minutes to brown the cheese.
Let cool 10 minutes. Top with fresh parsley to serve.
Note: If you want to skip the bake, simply cook the spaghetti according to package directions and spoon the sauce over to serve.
Hi I’m Cheri, I’ve been staying up too late reading since I was a kid hiding under the covers with a flashlight.