Johnny Marzetti is a baked noodle dish made with ground beef, tomato, cheese, and pasta. It was created by Theresa Marzetti in the 1920s at her restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. The dish can vary in its ingredients and preparation, but is known for its creamy and rich flavor.
A Johnny Marzetti is a baked noodle dish that was first made by Theresa Marzetti for her brother-in-law, Johnny, at his restaurant in Columbus, Ohio in the 1920s. While the recipes may vary slightly, the dish consists of ground beef, tomato, cheese and pasta which is mixed in a saucepan and cooked.
Theresa Marzetti moved to the United States from Florence, Italy in the late 19th century and opened her own small Italian restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. It remained open, gaining popularity, until her death in 1972. During that time, Theresa and her restaurant became known for many things, including her famous salad dressings and her baked casserole, Johnny Marzetti, a favorite of his brother- legally.
The pasta used in Johnny Marzetti differs from one recipe to another and can be macaroni, flakes, egg pasta or any other type of pasta. Most of the recipes use cooked pasta but in some the pasta is added raw and cooks into the sauce of the dish. If using cooked pasta, it’s important to follow the recommended cooking instructions to avoid overcooking.
Depending on the recipe, onions, celery, mushrooms and peppers can be added to the mince, which should initially be browned in a little oil in a frying pan. The mince must be well divided before adding the tomato. Again, recipes may differ, some using canned, canned tomatoes or tomato sauce or tomato juice, or a combination thereof. It is added to the meat mixture and seasoned with herbs such as oregano, salt and pepper.
It is left to simmer and reduced for several minutes, then the noodles are added, with the cheese and mixed well before placing in a roasting pan. Some Johnny Marzetti recipes don’t mix meat and pasta, but rather layer them, with cheese, in the roasting pan. Regardless of the method followed, grated cheese is spread over the top of the dish and is baked in the oven until the cheese is bubbling.
In another variation of the Johnny Marzetti recipe, a can of mushroom soup is added. Canned tomato soup can also be used in place of chopped tomatoes or tomato sauce. Whichever variation you use, the resulting pasta casserole is creamy, rich, and perfect for a cold winter night. Again, depending on the recipe used, it can be very quick to prepare.
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