Recipe: Skillet Baked Penne

This recipe also came from the cookbook “The Best 30 Minute Recipes” by America’s Test Kitchen. I was honestly surprised at how much of a hit this was with my kids and hubby. It was almost like they couldn’t get enough of it. I would also like to mention the title of the recipe in the cookbook is “Skillet Baked Ziti”, however it specifically says in the recipe you can use Penne pasta, which is what I used.

Skillet Baked Penne

To complete this recipe in 30 minutes, preheat your oven before assembling your ingredients. If your skillet is not oven safe, transfer the pasta mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole dish before sprinkling with the cheese and baking. Packaged pre-shredded mozzarella is a real-time saver here. Penne can be used in place of the ziti.

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and ground black pepper
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
12 ounce Penne (3 ¾ cup)
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup minced fresh basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Making the Minutes Count:

Measure the water and the pasta before you begin cooking. Prep the parmesan and basil white the pasta cooks.

1.       Heat Oven: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees.

2.       Simmer Penne: Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon salt in 12-inch oven safe nonstick skillet and sauté over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, water, penne, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain vigorous simmer, until penne is almost tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

3.       Add Cheese and Bake: Stir in cream, Parmesan, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over penne. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes. Serve.