Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Let the oven fully preheat before putting the dish in for consistent cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to check doneness rather than relying on cooking time alone.
- Cook pasta in generously salted boiling water — it should taste seasoned on its own.
- For pasta dishes, reserve a cup of pasta water before draining to adjust sauce consistency.
Cooking Tips
For the most tender results, cook low and slow — a gentle simmer (not a vigorous boil) breaks down connective tissue without drying out the meat. Taste and adjust seasoning toward the end of cooking. As liquids reduce, flavors concentrate, so what tastes balanced early may become too salty later.
Ingredient Substitutions
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Creamy Baked Spaghetti
Made with spaghetti, spaghetti meat sauce, cream cheese and sharp cheddar cheese — a hearty Filipino dish that's simple to cook and satisfying to share.
Instructions
- Heat the spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Make the meat sauce by following the link to the recipe above. Use the exact amount of ingredients indicated in the recipe.
- Mix in the cream cheese to the meat sauce and stir until well blended. Turn the heat to off.
- Make the mornay sauce by melting butter in a saucepan. Once the butter melts, add the flour. Quickly stir until the flour absorbs the butter (it will look like a big lump, that is fine though). Pour-in the milk and then stir until all the ingredients are well blended. Continue to stir until the milk starts to get thicker. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until the texture gets thick enough (like soft pudding). turn the heat off and set aside.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
- Meanwhile, combine the cooked spaghetti with the meat sauce in a large mixing bowl. Toss to blend the ingredients. Arrange the mixture in a baking pan. Pour the mornay sauce on top and then spread all over. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake the spaghetti for 18 to 20 minutes.
- Serve.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Let the oven fully preheat before putting the dish in for consistent cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to check doneness rather than relying on cooking time alone.
- Cook pasta in generously salted boiling water — it should taste seasoned on its own.
- For pasta dishes, reserve a cup of pasta water before draining to adjust sauce consistency.
Cooking Tips
Taste and adjust seasoning toward the end of cooking. As liquids reduce, flavors concentrate, so what tastes balanced early may become too salty later.
Substitutions
Storage & Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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