Vintage comfort food taken to the next level! Inspired by YouTuber Catherine’s Plates, I added an option for an enhanced 1950s experience that relies less on prepared food: the Cook Your Own Pasta Sauce option.

The original recipe that uses prepared spaghetti sauce from the supermarket works just fine, but I think that going the 1950s route is an amazing flavor experience, with the dishwashing to match! Shown is the 1950s preparation method.

You’ll need:

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ green pepper, finely chopped (or 1 small jar diced pimientos)
1 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups pasta sauce*
¾ cup water
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
12 oz. mozzarella cheese
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
Frozen ravioli

• For Pasta Sauce, use either a prepared spaghetti sauce or combine 3 cups tomato sauce with 2 tsp. oregano, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp. pepper, and 1 tsp. basil.

1950s EXPERIENCE: Combine 3 cups tomato sauce with 2 tsp. oregano, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp. pepper, and 1 tsp. basil in a saucepan, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes while browning the meat, onion and green pepper (below).

Brown ground beef with onion and green pepper in skillet; drain. Add butter, chopped garlic, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, pepper, ¾ cup water and 2 cups of the pasta sauce; simmer for 5 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine 8 oz. mozzarella, Ricotta, and parsley; mix thoroughly and set aside.

Evenly spread half of the remaining cup of pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish. Place frozen raviolis in a bottom layer over the pasta sauce. Add half of the pasta sauce preparation, followed by half of the cheese mixture. Add another layer of ravioli, followed by another layer of pasta sauce preparation and a layer of cheese mixture. Add a final layer of ravioli; top with the remaining half cup of pasta sauce combined with ¼ cup water.

Top with the remaining 4 oz. mozzarella cheese; bake uncovered in a moderate oven for 45 minutes.

Feast! (But don’t dig in before the host does! Good food calls for good table manners.)

Completed Ravioli Lasagna Bake

Steps in preparation