Jo Mazzotti-A Brunch Casserole

This is the kind of stick-to-your-ribs noodle casserole that shows up at potlucks and church suppers across the Midwest, a cousin of Johnny Mazetti. It feeds a crowd and only gets better as it sits.

The base is a rich, slow-simmered sauce: ground pork browned hard with a generous heap of sliced onions, then built up with tomato paste, mushrooms, green pepper, and a squeeze of lemon for brightness against all that savory depth.

Cubes of very sharp, aged cheddar get folded in, where they melt into gooey pockets through the noodles instead of disappearing into a uniform sauce.

The long, slow simmer, an hour on the stovetop or in the oven, is what melds everything together and lets the noodles soak up the sauce. Don’t rush it; that time turns a pile of ingredients into a cohesive, savory casserole.

Kitchen Tips

• Brown the pork and onions well, and don’t drain too hard; those browned bits and a little fat carry the flavor.
• Cook the noodles just to tender, since they keep softening in the sauce and would otherwise turn to mush.
• Use a genuinely sharp, aged cheddar. Mild cheese gets lost in the rich tomato-meat sauce.
• It reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day, a great make-ahead.

Variations

• Use ground beef, or a beef-pork mix, in place of all pork.
• Stir in a handful of olives or a pinch of red pepper flakes for extra punch.
• Top with more shredded cheddar and bake uncovered at the end for a browned, bubbly crust.