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an everyday skillet of tiny ditalini tubes and ground-beef crumbles in red tomato sauce under melted white mozzarella with small curled pepperoni quarters and sliced black olives, with no basil or garnish
Rachel Kim

Pizza Pasta Skillet

Crisp the pepperoni first, leaving a little seasoned fat for the hamburger and saving some curled pieces for the mozzarella topping. Ditalini cooks in oregano-tomato sauce, with black olives supplying another pizza topping without adding wet vegetables. Keep the broth measure intact even if the tomato sauce looks generous; the tiny tubes still need water to soften before the covered cheese finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz sliced pepperoni quartered
  • 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 10 oz dry ditalini
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 cup water reserved as needed
  • 1/3 cup sliced black olives drained
  • 5 oz low-moisture mozzarella grated

Method
 

  1. Cook pepperoni in a deep 12-inch 5-quart saute pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until its edges curl. Transfer to a plate, leaving 1 teaspoon rendered fat in the pan.
  2. Add beef and onion and brown over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking up the meat and cooking to 160°F. Drain excess fat and stir in garlic and oregano for 30 seconds.
  3. Add tomato sauce, broth, ditalini and salt. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 10 to 13 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes and adding reserved water only if needed before pasta becomes tender.
  4. Stir in olives and half the pepperoni. Scatter mozzarella and remaining pepperoni over the top.
  5. Cover and heat on low for 3 minutes until cheese melts, then rest off the heat for 2 minutes before serving.