THE BEST BAKED ZITI
I am half Italian, was raised eating the finest Italian-American cuisine, and have filmed almost 2000 recipe videos, so when you consider all of those facts, it seems incredible that I have never posted a video for baked ziti. Hopefully I make up for that long wait by posting what I think is the best version of it.
Provided by Chef John
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 2h20m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Cut down the length of each sausage with a sharp knife. Remove and discard casings.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over high heat. Add sausages and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up with a spatula, until the sausage begins to brown, and the onion turns translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add oregano, thyme, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in marinara sauce. Pour 1 cup water into each jar to rinse out remaining sauce; add to the saucepan. Stir together and bring sauce to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Turn off heat and reserve until needed. Before using, skim any excess fat that rises to the surface.
- While sauce simmers, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 or 2 minutes less than the directions on the package call for, about 8 minutes. Drain well and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
- Carefully add the meat sauce and stir until thoroughly combined. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a large 9x15-inch or 9x13-inch casserole dish with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer half of the pasta and sauce mixture to the prepared dish, then use a spatula to even out into a uniform layer. Top with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, and then 1/2 of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, being sure to distribute evenly. Top with the rest of the pasta and sauce mixture and give the pan a little shake to settle the sauce. Repeat the cheese application.
- Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the casserole is piping hot, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Top with parsley.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 627.1 calories, Carbohydrate 58.1 g, Cholesterol 71.8 mg, Fat 29.5 g, Fiber 5.3 g, Protein 30.8 g, SaturatedFat 11.9 g, Sodium 1380.1 mg, Sugar 14.4 g
BAKED ZITI
Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 1h35m
Yield 12 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and saute until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook until browned. Drain off almost all of the fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove 3 to 4 cups of the cooked sauce to a bowl to cool down.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Cook the ziti until not quite al dente.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a bowl, mix 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, eggs and some salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).
- Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps). Add the cooled reserved meat sauce and toss to combine.
- Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta and the remaining sauce and mozzarella.
- Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before sprinkling with chopped parsley to serve.
ANOTHER BAKED ZITI
I am not very tuned into ricotta cheese, so was happy to find this recipe at Italian Food Forever. My family keeps begging me to make it every week.
Provided by CoolMonday
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 1h42m
Yield 1 casserole, 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Brown sausage links well.
- Remove and cut into 1/2 inch rounds.
- Put aside.
- Make sauce by heating the oil.
- Add onion, garlic, carrot, celery.
- Saute until soft.
- Add wine and reduce to half.
- Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, sausage, and parsley.
- Simmer for 60 minutes until thickened.
- Cook pasta until al dente.
- Drain and add to sauce and mix well.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Using a buttered ovenproof dish, put in 1/3 of pasta mix.
- Sprinkle with diced mozzarella.
- Repeat layers twice more.
- Pour beaten eggs over top of pasta.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Bake until bubbly.
- Let stand a few minutes before serving.
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The Classic Baked Ziti Recipe
Before we delve into another baked ziti recipe, let’s take a quick look at the traditional version. Here are the ingredients required for the classic baked ziti recipe:Ingredients:
- 1 pound of ziti pasta
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound of ground beef or sausage
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 jar of tomato sauce (28-ounces)
- 1 cup of water (or chicken broth)
- 1 cup of ricotta cheese
- 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley or basil leaves (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Cook the ziti pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Add the ground meat, salt, and pepper to the skillet and cook until the meat is browned.
- Add the tomato sauce and water (or chicken broth) to the skillet, and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Gently fold in the cooked ziti pasta into the skillet, making sure it is coated evenly with the sauce.
- In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spoon half of the ziti mixture on the bottom. Then spread the ricotta cheese mixture over it, followed by the remaining ziti mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or basil leaves before serving.
Another Baked Ziti Recipe
If you’ve tried the classic recipe enough times and want to switch things up, why not try this another baked ziti recipe?Ingredients:
- 1 pound of ziti pasta
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can of diced tomatoes (14.5-ounces)
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Cook the ziti pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes, heavy cream, and grated parmesan cheese to the skillet, and stir to combine.
- Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes until it has thickened slightly.
- Add the dried basil, oregano, and thyme to the skillet, along with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked ziti pasta to the skillet, and toss well to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
- In the prepared baking dish, spoon half of the ziti mixture on the bottom.
- Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the pasta.
- Add the remaining ziti mixture on top, then sprinkle the remaining cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake for about 25-30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.