A budget-friendly fusion layering noodles, tomato sauce, and cheeses baked until golden and bubbling.
# Components:
→ Noodles
01 - 3 instant ramen noodle bricks (3 oz each), seasoning packets discarded
→ Sauce
02 - 2 cups tomato pasta sauce
03 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
→ Cheese
05 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (7 oz)
06 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (1.75 oz)
07 - 1 cup ricotta or cottage cheese (8.8 oz)
→ Garnish
08 - Fresh basil leaves
09 - Cracked black pepper
# Method:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce, dried Italian herbs, and garlic powder.
03 - In a separate bowl, blend ricotta or cottage cheese with half of the Parmesan cheese.
04 - Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
05 - Spread one-quarter of the tomato sauce evenly on the bottom of the baking dish.
06 - Place one ramen noodle brick over the sauce, breaking to fit as needed.
07 - Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then sprinkle with one-third of the mozzarella cheese.
08 - Repeat spreading sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella two more times, ending with a final layer of sauce topped with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
09 - Pour 1/2 cup water around the edges of the dish to aid noodle cooking.
10 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
11 - Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the top is bubbly and golden brown.
12 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and cracked black pepper if desired.