Baked Ravioli

Baking pasta with cheese on top creates a chewy and crispy topping kids will love. You can assemble the dish ahead and refrigerate it, then bake it right before dinner. Try this recipe with 1 pound of spaghetti (cook a few minutes less than the package instructions direct). Don't worry if it seems like there's too much sauce; it will be absorbed as the pasta bakes.

 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 clove(s) garlic, minced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) dried thyme, or oregano
• 1 can(s) whole tomatoes, 28 ounces
• 1 can(s) (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 2 pound(s) store-bought ravioli
• 1 1/2 cup(s) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, until sauce is thickened and reduced to about 5 1/2 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling salted water just until they float to the top (pasta will continue to cook in oven). Drain pasta; return to pot.
3. Toss sauce with pasta. Pour pasta into a large gratin dish or 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and sprinkle with cheeses. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.