Baked Spaghetti ​

Servings: 12

Ingredients

	kosher salt
	3 pounds ground beef chuck
	freshly ground black pepper
	2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
	1/2 cup garlic, finely chopped
	2 large onions, diced (about 2 cups)
	ounce one 28- can crushed tomatoes
	ounce one 14.5- can diced tomatoes
	1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
	1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
	1 pound thin spaghetti
	1 pound sharp cheddar, grated (about 2 cups)
	1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

Directions

Step 1 Bring a sizable pot of salted water to a boil.

Step 2 Heat another large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and some grinds of pepper and cook, stirring to break the meat up, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about ten minutes. Stir in the crushed and diced tomatoes, sugar, and oregano and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about thirty minutes.

Step 3 Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti for 2 minutes significantly less than enough time indicated in the package directions. Strain well. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 4 Cover underneath of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan with a third of the sauce. Add half the pasta and a third of the Cheddar; repeat the layers and add the last of the sauce; reserve the last of the Cheddar.

Step 5 Bake for thirty minutes. Top with the rest of the Cheddar and continue baking until it melts and the sauce bubbles, about 5 more minutes. Let cool in the dish for at least ten minutes. Garnish with the parsley before cutting into squares.