Baked Elbows Pasta Casserole!

Baked Elbow Pasta

Ingredients
* 1 lb elbows pasta, or ziti pasta
* 1 lb ground beef,
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* Salt
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* 5 cups marinara sauce
* 15 oz fresh ricotta
* 10 fresh basil leaves
* 12 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
* 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

Instructions
1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions until just aldente them drain (so not overcook since they will continue to cook in the oven).
2. In a deep pan or dutch oven, over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onion, breaking up the beef with a spatula, until beef is fully cooked through and onions are softened (5-7 minutes). Add minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and sautee another minute. Add 5 cups marinara, bring to a simmer and continue cooking 5 minutes then turn off the heat.
3. Spread a ladle of meat sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish.
4. Into the remaining sauce, add chopped basil and spoon in ricotta. Add cooked pasta and stir just until noodles are coated 

5. Transfer half of the pasta to the casserole dish. Top with 1/2 of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 grated parmesan. Add remaining pasta and top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
6. Bake at 350˚F for 25 minutes. Broil 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. Let cool 5 minutes then garnish with basil if desired and serve.