Johnny Marzetti

Name: Johnny Marzetti
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 10 tbsp. olive oil; 3 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped; 8 oz. white button mushrooms, thinly sliced; 1 tsp. dried oregano; 1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed; 1 1 ⁄ 2 lb. ground beef; 2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley; 10 oz. wide egg noodles; 2 tbsp. unsalted butter; 8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded; 3 oz. mozzarella, shredded; 3 tbsp. bread crumbs; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Serves
serves 6

TODD COLEMAN

The bygone restaurant Marzetti's in Columbus, Ohio, invented this cheesy noodle casserole. This recipe first appeared in our December 2011 issue along with the special feature Italian America.

Ingredients

10 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
8 oz. white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed
1 ¹⁄₂ lb. ground beef
2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
10 oz. wide egg noodles
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
3 oz. mozzarella, shredded
3 tbsp. bread crumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Step 1

Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions; cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Return skillet to heat with 3 tbsp. oil; add mushrooms; cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add to bowl with onions; return skillet to heat with 2 tbsp. oil. Add beef; cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Return onions and mushrooms to skillet along with oregano and tomatoes; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and stir in parsley; let sauce cool.

Step 2

Heat oven to 325°. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, and add noodles; cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and toss with butter in a bowl; set aside. Spread 2 cups sauce on bottom of a 9″ × 13″ baking dish; cover with noodles. Spread 2⁄3 cheddar over noodles; top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheddar, mozzarella, and breadcrumbs over sauce; drizzle with remaining oil. Bake until browned on top, about 25 minutes.

Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions; cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Return skillet to heat with 3 tbsp. oil; add mushrooms; cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add to bowl with onions; return skillet to heat with 2 tbsp. oil. Add beef; cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Return onions and mushrooms to skillet along with oregano and tomatoes; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and stir in parsley; let sauce cool.
Heat oven to 325°. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, and add noodles; cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and toss with butter in a bowl; set aside. Spread 2 cups sauce on bottom of a 9″ × 13″ baking dish; cover with noodles. Spread 2⁄3 cheddar over noodles; top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheddar, mozzarella, and breadcrumbs over sauce; drizzle with remaining oil. Bake until browned on top, about 25 minutes.