Fall hit Utah pretty hard this weekend, OK just Sunday, but it was nice to have a high in the 60's and a low in the low 40's. Consequently, we were jonesing for something baked, something comforting so what works better than a pasta bake?!
I didn't have any Ziti in the pantry but did have a variety of other pastas so I improvised and did half Penne and half veggie Rotini - turned out pretty damn good...
BAKED ZITI
Prep time:
10 minutes Cook time: 55 minutes Yield: Serves at least 8
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. ziti
(can sub penne or rotini) pasta
Extra virgin
olive oil
1 lb. bulk
Italian sausage or ground beef or pork
1 large
onion, diced
3-4 garlic
cloves, shredded on a microplane
8 oz.
container mushrooms, sliced thin
2 Roma
tomatoes, sliced thin
1 Tbsp. fresh
rosemary (or basil), minced, plus more for seasoning on top of fresh tomato
layer
1 Tbsp.
Italian seasoning, plus more for seasoning layers
1 tsp.
garlic powder, plus more for seasoning layers
1 large jar
of marinara sauce (about 32 ounces) or make your own tomato sauce
12 oz. mozzarella
cheese, grated or shredded
1 heaping
cup of ricotta cheese
1 ½ cup
grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. Boil the
pasta: Heat a large pot of water (2 quarts of water) to a strong boil. Add a
tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook at a rolling boil, uncovered, until
the pasta is al dente—edible but still a little firm to the bite.
Drain the
pasta through a colander. Toss with a little olive oil so the pasta does not
stick together while you make the sauce.
2. Brown the
meat: While the water is heating in the previous step, start on the sauce. Heat
a tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium-high heat. When the
oil is shimmering hot, add the bulk sausage or ground meat. Break up any large
chunks of sausage as it cooks. Brown well.
Don't stir
that often or it will be more difficult for the meat to brown. If you are using
ground beef or pork instead of sausage, sprinkle with a little salt, garlic
powder, Mrs. Dash and Italian Herb Seasoning.
3. Add
onions and sauté, then add garlic, spices, then tomato sauce: When the meat is
mostly browned, add the onions and stir well to combine. Sauté everything until
the onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 6-8 minutes.
Add the
garlic, rosemary or basil, Italian seasoning and stir to combine. Cook 1
minute, then add the tomato sauce and stir well. Bring to a simmer.
4. Preheat
the oven to 350°F.
5. Layer
sauce, cheese, pasta, tomatoes in casserole dish: Spread a thin layer of sauce
in the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole pan, then dot the surface with half the
ricotta cheese. Ladle a spoonful of sauce into the pasta, stir it well and then
add half of the pasta into the casserole, top with half of the mozzarella,
parmesan and all of the Roma slices, then add the rest of the pasta.
Pour the
rest of the sauce over the pasta, dot the remaining ricotta cheese over the
pasta, and sprinkle on top both the mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese, garlic powder
and Italian Herbs.
6. Bake 20
min: Bake in oven at 350°F until the top is lightly browned and the cheese
melted, about 20-25 minutes.
Serve with a
nice simple salad and your best garlic bread!
