Cooktop Cove: Lay crescent dough in a casserole for a quick-and-easy dinner almost too good to be true
By John Jasins
Do you want a quick and easy dinner? Look no further! The following recipe begins with pre-made dough that you can find easily at the store. Toss with some meat, sauce, and cheese, and you can get dinner on your table with very little prep!
So what kind of hearty recipe is it? The following casserole dish is a play on the classic meatball sub. The flaky croissant dough acts as the bread. Meaty, cheesy and delicious, this casserole is for all occasions. Let's get started!
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 65 minutes
Total Time: 1 hr, 25 minutes
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 8-ounce package premade croissant dough sheet, such as Pillsbury Crescent Dough Sheet
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 large red bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 16-ounce packages frozen cooked Italian meatballs, thawed and halved
3½ cups marinara sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter on medium-low heat. Add garlic and parsley. Continue to simmer on medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Do not let garlic-herb butter burn or turn dark.
3. Press crescent roll dough evenly onto the bottom and sides of a greased baking dish.
With a fork, poke holes through the dough to prevent it from puffing.
4. Brush dough liberally with garlic-herb butter. Bake the crust for 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Heat a large saute pan on medium-high heat. Add canola oil. When oil is hot, saute onions and peppers for 3 minutes. Drain any excess oil.
6. Layer onto crust half the meatballs, half the peppers and onions, and half the tomato sauce.
Top with half the cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.
Repeat the layers.
7. Loosely cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until dough is cooked through. Remove foil and continue to bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.
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