What’s for Dinner Tonight: No Bake Lasagna

Tonight I made a pasta dish inspired by lasagna.
It has less cheese, and you don’t have to bake it.
For this recipe, you will need your favorite pasta sauce, 1 or 1 1/2  cup of ricotta cheese, 1/2 lb to 1 lb of campanelle pasta, and freshly grated parmesan (optional topping).  1/2 lb of campanelle and 1 cup of ricotta cheese should be enough to feed 3-4 people depending on how hungry you are.  (**I will say that I think I used a 1/b of pasta – I dumped about a 1/2 a box into my cooking pot.)

1. I started by making my meat sauce (a modified version of Giada’s marinara sauce).  You can find my recipe here. 
2. While you are waiting for the meat sauce to simmer, cook your pasta according to the package directions.  I used campanelle – they look like the curled edges of lasagna.  (You will need to reserve a ladle or two of starchy cooking liquid, so don’t forget before you drain the pasta.  Plain water is just not the same.)
3. In a large bowl, add your ricotta cheese.  Add a ladle of starchy cooking liquid.  Stir.  You should end up with a creamy sauce.  If it’s took thick for your liking, add a bit more starchy cooking liquid.
   
4. Drain your pasta.  Add the pasta to your ricotta.  Stir to coat.
   
5. Add about half of your meat sauce to the pasta and ricotta.  Stir.  (You can add as much or as little sauce as you like.  If you only use half, you will have enough leftover meat sauce for another 1/2 lb of pasta – I recommend adding it to angel hair — yum!)

   

6. Plate your pasta and add some freshly grated parmesan.
7. Serve with a nice green salad and some warm bread.  Delicious and easy!