Best Creamiest Fall Ziti Recipe By Tasty Recipes

BAKED ZITI RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200°C). Grease a 3-quart baking dish with the butter.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat the aromatics, until the tomato paste is deep brick-red, about 2 minutes.
• Add the whole tomatoes and their juices, using a potato masher or your hands to crush them into the sauce. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, 20 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of ricotta, the Parmesan, remaining teaspoon of salt, and remaining teaspoon of pepper to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
• Reserve 2 cups of tomato sauce in a bowl, then add the ricotta-Parmesan mixture to the remaining tomato sauce in the pot and stir to combine.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander.
• Add the drained pasta tomato-ricotta sauce and stir until well coated.
• Add half of the pasta to the prepared baking dish. Cover with 1 cup of the reserved tomato sauce, ¾ cup of the mozzarella, and ½ cup of the remaining ricotta. Add the remaining pasta, then repeat with the remaining cup of tomato sauce, ¾ cup of mozzarella, and ½ cup of ricotta.
• Bake until the mozzarella is golden brown and the tomato sauce is bubbling, 25-30 minutes.
• Garnish with the basil before serving.
• Enjoy!

CREAMY BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place tomatoes in a food processor and puree until smooth.
• In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes, and cook until golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pureed tomatoes. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce heat to medium and cook at a rapid simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a pot of generously salted boiling water, cook pasta 4 minutes less than according to package instructions (about 6 minutes total). Drain into a colander and rinse under cold water until cool, then drain again. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Stir cream cheese into sauce until melted, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour 1 cup sauce into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; spread into an even layer. Scatter half of mozzarella over sauce. Add 3 cups sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan to bowl of pasta; toss to coat. Add pasta mixture to the baking dish in an even layer. Top with remaining sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake on a rack in the top third position until cheese is melted, 10 minutes. Switch oven to broiler setting; broil until cheese is bubbly and browned in places, about 3 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes; serve.