Saw this in a magazine, it's a winner!
(original recipe calls for Mostaccioli, but I used Penne, because it's all I could find... same shape just has ridges rather than smooth)
1 16 oz. box of penne pasta
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 15 oz. carton part skim ricotta cheese
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 jars (24 oz. each) pasta sauce with meat
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 pkg. (12 oz.) frozen fully cooked meatballs, thawed
3/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
minced fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 350F, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix eggs and ricotta cheese.
In a 6 quart pan, brown beef and onion, breaking up in to crumbles, drain. Stir in brown sugar and seasonings. Add pasta sauce and penne; toss to combine.
Transfer half of the pasta mixture to a greased 13x9 baking dish. Layer with ricotta mixture and then the remaining pasta mixture; sprinkle with Romano cheese. Top with meatballs and Parmesan cheese.
Bake, uncovered 35-40 minutes or until heated through, top with parsley.
