This is an excellent cavatini! Changes: I use much less pepperoni and add 1 lb of Italian sausage. I cook the onion, green pepper, and mushrooms with the sausage and add a can of sliced black olives, drained. I use rotini pasta only and mix it in with the meat sauce, I hate naked pasta. I mix the ricotta and 2 cups mozzerella together and add a beaten egg. Then put half the pasta mixture in the pan, then half the cheese mixture, the remaining pasta and then remaining cheese. I put an additional cup of mozzerella on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. Add garlic toast and a bottle of red wine and you've got a festive and FUN dinner. Bueno!
I'm Janice, the submitter of this recipe. Just wanted you folks to know that you can add 2 more cups of pasta to stretch this recipe (as it was originally written). Howled when I read the comment about taking off the plastic wrap of the pepperoni...did the same thing the very first time I made it!!!
If I could give this more stars I would my husband and I loved this!!! I added a pound of Italian sausage. I really liked how the cheesy mixture sticks to the noodles. Sooooo good! It took me about 1 hour and 30 minutes to assemble everything. I like to pick meals that allow me to cook once on the weekend and then take leftovers to lunch. I get tired of taking sandwiches. This will make a great leftover. Thank you for the great recipe.
My family loved this recipe. The only change I made was I browned some ground beef and added it to the sauce. Made with Italian Herb bread I from this site and served with a nice salad. Thanks!!
This is a great recipe for using up those 'nearly empty' boxes of pasta that hang around in the cupboard - I used small shells macaroni and campanelle. It's also incredibly easy and tasty too! If I made this again I would add extra-sharp Cheddar to the cheese mixture - it was just a little bit on the bland side. Thanks for the recipe Janice!
The pasta in this casserole has a great creamy texture and the sauce is great- especially the pepperoni. Cottage cheese worked well as a substitution for the ricotta.
love this recipe. i always make two so i can freeze one for later. you will find this recipe very easy to adapt. often i will make a veg. version with zuccini and mushrooms.
This was FABULOUS!! My whole family LOVED this I can't wait to make it again...I didn't change a thing!! Thanks!
Delicious! The pepperoni adds enough spice to ensure a good kick. Although I found the recipe only made enough for 6 servings.
Perhaps my expectations were too high. I was hoping for that delicious dish I remember Pizza Hut serving when I was a kid. Unfortunately this didn't come close. I ended up with an expensive flop because there was no where near enough sauce and I didn't trust my instincts but followed the recipe instead. I wound up with a pan full of very dry baked ziti-ish stuff. If I make this again I will definitely double the non-meat part of the sauce. I will also leave out the ricotta because it was terrible in this. Perhaps instead I'll add cream cheese.
