Baked Tomato Macaroni

Baked Tomato Macaroni (TNT)

1 lb. large elbow macaroni, mostaccioli, or penne 1 cup good quality olive oil 9 to 12 garlic cloves minced fine 1 cup chopped onion 1 T. sugar 1/4 cup dried basil, crumbled 2 T. dried oregano, crumbled 3 cans (1 lb, 12 oz. each) tomatoes Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Put the pasta in a large bowl; pour all of the olive oil over, toss well and let sit for 1 hour. Pour pasta into a strainer and drain off excess oil into a deep nonaluminum pan. Add the garlic, onion, sugar, basil and oregano. Heat over medium heat until the oil gets very hot, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Crush the tomatoes with your hands or with a food processor fitted with metal blade and add them and their juices to the pan. Preheat oven to 400. Put the macaroni in large nonaluminum roasting pan. Pour room temperature sauce over and stir well. Bake uncovered in the center of the oven for 40 minutes, turning over with a spatula every 10 minutes to ensure that all the pasta cooks evenly. Serve with Parmesan cheese. Serves 12 Note: No, there is not a mistake in this recipe.The pasta actually bakes without being boiled first. Be generous with your seasonings and garlic, as baking reduces their pungency. You can make several batches of this crowd pleaser and reheat it, but don't try doubling the recipe in one pan. I've made this many times, and it really is a crowd pleaser. LC Source: Marlene Sorosky's Season's Greetings

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