Baked Ziti
Ziti or penne is tossed with a richly seasoned meat and tomato sauce, layered with ricotta, then baked under a golden cheese topping.
By Cookin' Kitchen
- Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Servings: 6 servings
Recipe
Baked Ziti
Ziti or penne is tossed with a richly seasoned meat and tomato sauce, layered with ricotta, then baked under a golden cheese topping.
Cookin' · https://cookin.club/recipes/baked-ziti
- Prep
- 10 minutes
- Cook
- 1 hour
- Total
- 1 hour 10 minutes
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
For 6 servings
Seasonings
Instructions
Step 1: Cook the ziti for the packet’s recommended cooking time minus 2 minutes. Drain, then return it to the pot.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Step 3: Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
Step 4: Add the meat and cook, breaking it up as it cooks. When it is just cooked, add the seasonings and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add the passata, water, basil, oregano and sugar. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6: Pour about 2 cups of sauce into the pot with the ziti and toss to coat.
Step 7: Spread the ziti in a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13-inch) baking dish. Add dollops of ricotta, pour over the remaining sauce, and top with the mozzarella and Parmesan.
Step 8: Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden.
Step 9: Sprinkle with parsley or basil, if desired, and serve.
Notes
Make-ahead and substitutions
To prepare ahead, cook the pasta, toss it with a little oil, and let it cool. Cook the sauce and let it cool covered. Assemble the dish, add the cheese, then refrigerate or freeze. If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking. The make-ahead note says a cold casserole takes around 30 to 35 minutes to bake, with 25 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered.
Penne can replace ziti. For the sauce, use an 800 g (28 oz) can of crushed tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, or use plain pasta sauce or pureed canned tomatoes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 557 kcal
- Fat
- 21 g
- Saturated fat
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 51 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Protein
- 39 g
- Sodium
- 1,016 mg
- Cholesterol
- 93 mg
Estimated values; they will vary with the exact ingredients and brands you use.
About this recipe
Baked ziti combines pasta with a well-seasoned meat and tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan. Use ziti or penne, and choose ground beef, pork or a combination of both.
The pasta is baked until the cheese is golden. Prepare the pasta and sauce ahead, then assemble and refrigerate or freeze before baking when you’re ready to serve.
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