Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 3 large garlic cloves or 3 large garlic, to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups large macaroni, crushed with a rolling pin
  • 3 fresh tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • salt and black pepper
  • 2 cups tightly packed stemmed fresh spinach leaves, cut into large pieces
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 14 1/2 ounces can stewed tomatoes

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch-square baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil.
  • Stir the remaining olive oil and the water in a small bowl to blend. Stir in the garlic.
  • Scatter the macaroni over half of a large dish towel and fold the other half of the towel so the macaroni is covered. Take a rolling pin and pound or roll it over the macaroni until the pasta is in small pieces.
  • Arrange the tomato slices in layers in the baking dish. Season generously with salt and pepper. Combine the spinach and parsley, and spread half over the tomatoes. Sprinkle the crushed macaroni over the spinach.
  • Place any remaining tomato slices over the macaroni. Add the final layer of spinach and parsley. Spread the stewed tomatoes over all of the ingredients.
  • Drizzle the oil and garlic mixture evenly over the top. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour, or until macaroni is tender.