Bolognese Pasta Bake

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente; drain and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Crumble in ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.

Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add canned tomatoes, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, half of the parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.

Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Add a layer of cooked pasta, then half the ricotta mixture, then one-third of the mozzarella.

Repeat with another layer: sauce, pasta, remaining ricotta mixture, and half the remaining mozzarella.

Top with final layer: remaining pasta, remaining sauce, remaining mozzarella, and remaining parmesan.

Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted and edges are bubbling.

Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.