Invalid Marriages

Did you know that people outside of St.Louis do not know what mostacholi is?

I was shocked. We couldn't even buy the noodles for the longest time. I remember being so sick of this Italian pasta dish when we left St. Louis. It is a great food for feeding large crowds. My uncle used to say that it wasn't a valid Catholic wedding if mostacholi wasn't served. (He was our family's Italian link.) Catholics in our area all had an Italian in the family tree somewhere or at least were familiar with the good food that the Italians brought to St. Louis years before. Most Catholics had large families that were all invited to the big church weddings. What better to serve than this delicious easy dish!?!

Anyway I was at a mom's meeting and we were all discussing our own weddings from years ago. Someone started discussing what food was served and I made the comment

"What you didn't serve mostacholi, ya know it wasn't a valid marriage if mostacholi wasn't served. . . ha ha"

NO one laughed. I felt like a million Texas woman began to stare me down. I looked at the New Yorker in the group, she had never heard of it either. I was shocked. If Uncle Al was not already gone, God Rest his soul, he would have died when he discovered how many invalid marriages there actually are outside of St. Louis.

Shocking, I tell you, just shocking. Not only did they not have mostacholi at their weddings, they didn't even know what it was.

Anyway we got a hold of some noodles and Jason made a very cheap version of it. It was nice to have a little taste of home even though I spent the night looking around for a bride and groom.

The pretty version from the top:
Oven Baked Mostacholi Recipe
1 pound
1 medium
1 large
5 cups
1 - 16 ounce package
4 cups
1/2 cup bulk mild Italian sausage
green bell pepper, chopped
onion, chopped
meatless spaghetti sauce
mostacholi noodles
mozzarella cheese, shredded
parmesan cheese, grated
Oven Temp: 350°
Cooking Time: 30 to 45 minutes
Pan Type: baking pan
Preheat Oven.
Cook mostacholi according to package directions for firm pasta.
Brown the sausage, onions and green pepper until meat is no longer pink inside.
Stir often to break up the sausage.
Drain well.
Add sauce, bring mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Put small amount of sauce in bottom of pan.
Next, layer one half of the mostacholi pasta over the sauce and 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese.
Cover with 2 cups of sauce.
Repeat layer’s and top with parmesan cheese.
Bake for allotted time.
Serve this oven baked mostacholi recipe with your favorite garlic bread.

Serves: 9 - 12

The cheap version that we made but still love:
Use Prego Italian Sauce
fry Hamburger meat and add to the sauce
cook the mostacholi noodles seperatly and drain when tender
pour the sauce with the meat on top
add grated paramesian cheese on top.