Ingredients:

  • 450 g (16 oz) Wide Egg Noodles
  • 4 L (1 gallon) Water
  • 1 tbsp Salt (for boiling water)
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)
  • 900 g (2 lb) Lean Ground Beef (85/15 ratio preferred)
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 2 stalks Celery, finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 (400g / 14.5 oz) can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (680g / 24 oz) jar Tomato Sauce or Tomato Passata
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Whole Milk
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Heavy Cream (Double Cream)
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 4 tbsp (56 g) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 1 cup (120 g) Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided
  • 1 cup (120 g) Shredded Colby Jack Cheese (or similar melting cheese), divided
  • 1/2 cup (60 g) Bread Crumbs (Panko or traditional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and lightly grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Bring salted water to a rolling boil in the stockpot. Add egg noodles and cook until al dente (1-2 minutes less than package directions). Drain immediately, return them to the empty stockpot, and toss with the 4 tbsp of softened butter.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until thoroughly browned (6–8 minutes). Drain off any excess grease. Reduce heat to medium, add the diced onion and celery, and cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the diced tomatoes (with their juice) and tomato sauce/passata. Add Worcestershire sauce, sugar, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and stir in the whole milk and heavy cream. Simmer gently for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  4. Pour the entire meat and tomato mixture into the stockpot with the buttered noodles. Toss gently until the noodles are completely coated. Fold in 3/4 cup (75g) of the shredded Sharp Cheddar and 3/4 cup (75g) of the shredded Colby Jack until evenly distributed. Scrape the entire mixture into the prepared casserole dish, spreading it evenly.
  5. Mix the remaining shredded cheeses with the breadcrumbs and scatter evenly over the top of the casserole. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the topping is golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and allow the Amish Yumasetti Casserole to rest uncovered for 10 minutes before serving, which prevents it from being runny.