(NC) — The simple combination of flavourful tomatoes and tender penne pasta can act as a base for a variety of saucy mealtime scenarios. For a hearty dish that satisfies cold weather comfort food cravings, add ground beef and cheese to create a pasta bake. The rich tomato flavours topped off with melted cheese will become an instant favourite and have your family begging for second servings. Penne Pasta Casserole Serves: 6 Time: Hands on: 20-30 min Total time: 40-50 min Ingredients 3 cups dry penne pasta, uncooked 1 lb (500 g) lean ground beef 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup) 1 can (398 ml) Hunt's Diced Tomatoes 1 can (5.5fl oz) Hunt's Tomato Paste ½ cup water 3 cups (12 oz) shredded Mozzarella cheese No-stick cooking spray Directions Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Brown meat with onions in large skillet; drain. Stir in Hunt's Diced Tomatoes with their liquid, the tomato paste and water; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. In large bowl, add pasta, tomato and beef mixture, and 2 cups of cheese; toss to coat. Spray 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon mixture into dish; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 25 minutes, or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted. For other tasty tomato-based recipes, visit www.huntstomatoes.ca. Tommalier Tip:An expert when it comes to the many ways of cooking with tomatoes, Hunt's “Tommalier” and celebrity chef, David Rocco says “don't feel guilty for using cans of tomatoes – the tomato season is short in Canada, and the ones in the can are picked at their peak so they're ripe and flavourful!”