4 Cheese Baked Penne

I love to make baked pasta dishes like this for Sunday night dinners. They are always a hit with everyone in my family and it makes for great leftovers on busy Mondays.

This baked penne dish is from Elie Kriger and if you click HERE you can see her make it. Enjoy :)

Ingredients:
1 pound whole-wheat penne
1 1/2 cups small-curd low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium crushed tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can low-sodium tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (3/4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella and parsley in a bowl and stir with a fork to incorporate and set aside. Cook pasta until tender but still firm, a minute or 2 less than the package directs. Drain.

Heat the oil in the same pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, rosemary, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Return pasta to pot with sauce and turn off heat. Add cottage cheese mixture.

Spray a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray then transfer pasta mixture to pan. Top with remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella and the parmesan. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted, 30 minutes.

Source: Ellie Krieger, Food Network