Baked Pasta with Gorgonzola

Last Night's Dinner, photographed by Dieguita.

BAKED PASTA WITH GORGONZOLA
(slightly altered from a recipe on allrecipes.com)

* 1 pound penne pasta (or sub your favorite similar pasta)
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 ounces portobello mushroom(s), cut into 1/2 inch pieces
* 2-3 roma tomatoes
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (add more for moister bake)
* 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
* 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
* 4 ounces shredded parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Pour a glass of ice water over the pasta to stop the cooking, but do not rinse thoroughly. Blanch roma tomatoes in boiling water for approximately 30 seconds; peel and crush.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 x 13 glass pan with olive oil. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet. Add mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes then add basil, oregano and garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add sauce and crushed tomatoes to mushroom mixture and stir.

3. To assemble, pour enough sauce in the bottom of the pan to cover. Combine the remaining sauce and the pasta. Place one-third of sauced noodles on top of sauce in pan. Top with 1 cup of mozzarella and one-half of the gorgonzola. Repeat for a second layer. Put the final third of the noodles in the pan and top with the final 2 cups of mozzarella.

4. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until cheese is browned. Serve.

Thank you, Dieguita, for sharing this yummy recipe and photo with the Parents Cafe group on flickr. This is superb comfort food.

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