Baked Filipino-Style Spaghetti

Like me and Ryan, our two daughters love Filipino-style spaghetti. They love it so much that it's something they very often request me to cook. Well, it's the irresistible sweetness in it that makes it seem addicting for them. Whether it's with meatballs or with the regular ground beef and hotdogs, this pasta dish never fail to bring sweet smiles on their faces. But there's a special version of it that they love even more. I'm talking about this Baked Filipo-Style Spaghetti...

...which is so creamy, cheesy, and truly irresistible for children and adults alike. This has the same cheese topping as the Baked Macaroni that I've shared here before, wherein I used 3 types of cheese: parmesan, cheddar and mozzarella. 

Though the Filipino-Style Spaghetti is pleasing enough to eat as is, this baked version takes it to a whole new level. Baking it not only let the spaghetti absorb more flavor from the sauce, it also makes it extra comforting because of the added gooey cheese! 



Ingredients:

• 1 lb spaghetti pasta

For the Meat Sauce:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 pc. beef franks, bias-sliced into 1/4" thick
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 Knor beef cube
• 1 (26.5oz.) can Spaghetti Sauce
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup Filipino banana ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• ½ tsp ground oregano
• ½ tsp ground basil
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Cheese Topping:

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ cups milk (evaporated or fresh will do)
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
• 1½ cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1. Cook the spaghetti pasta al dente according to package directions. Be sure not to overcook. Drain and set aside.

2. Prepare the meat sauce. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, cook beef in ¼ cup water until water has evaporated. Drain any oil from beef. Push beef into one side of the pan. Add olive oil and saute garlic until light brown. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add beef franks. Mix ground meat together with garlic, onions and franks. Add beef cube and keep stirring until it melts. Pour the spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and ketchup. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add sugar and mix well. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add milk, parmesan and cheddar cheese. Add salt and pepper to suit your taste. While stirring, continue to simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Prepare the cheese topping. In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir until dissolved. Whisk in the milk and garlic powder until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to suit your taste. Stir in 1 cup of parmesan and 1 cup of cheddar cheese and whisk until melted.

4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine the cooked spaghetti and meat sauce in a 13"x9"x2" baking dish. Toss until pasta is well covered with sauce. Add mozzarella cheese and the remaining cheddar cheese and toss some more.  Spread the cheese topping evenly over the mixture.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes then broil at 450°F for 3-5 minutes or until topping starts to turn brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool down a little. Serve warm.

This is PiTCC's entry to Kulinarya Cooking Club's Filipino-Style Spaghetti Challenge hosted by Gio of The Hungry Giant and Kyle and Bea of Rated K&B. Be sure to check what other Kulinarya Cooking Club members came up with for this month's theme...