Pasta all Formiana

Ingredients

• 4-5 very ripe beefsteak tomatoes
• butter to grease baking dish
• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 pound mezze penne
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup oregano
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Start off by putting a rack in the center of your oven and preheating it to 450 degrees. Butter an 8″ x 8″ glass baking dish.
2. Cut 4-5 very ripe beefsteak tomatoes into 1/3″ slices and line the bottom and sides of your baking dish with them.
3. In a food processor, blend together a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and 3 cloves of garlic. Pour that into a mixing bowl and add 1/2 pound mezze penne, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup oregano, 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
4. Toss until all the ingredients are coated and pour it into the baking dish. Arrange the remaining tomato slices in a layer on top of the pasta, overlapping to make sure it�s completely covered. This is important because you want to trap in the steam, that�s how the pasta will cook.
5. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake until the tomatoes are slightly crispy and the pasta is cooked, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving!