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Clean recipe · simplyrecipes.com

Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is classic Italian-American comfort food made with pasta, sausage, tomato sauce, and lots of cheese. Our recipe keeps it easy and is always a hit!

Original recipe: simplyrecipes.com

Yield:
8 servings
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
55 min
Total:
75 min
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Baked Ziti

Ingredients

  1. 1 pound ziti (can sub penne) pasta
  2. Kosher salt
  3. Extra virgin olive oil
  4. 1 pound bulk Italian sausage or ground beef or pork
  5. 1 large onion, chopped
  6. 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
  7. 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (or basil), minced
  8. 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  9. 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  10. 1 large jar of marinara sauce (about 32 ounces) or make your own tomato sauce
  11. Salt and pepper to taste
  12. 1/2 pound of mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded
  13. 1 cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
  14. 1 heaping cup of ricotta cheese

Instructions

  1. Heat a large pot of salted water (for every 2 quarts of water, one tablespoon of salt) to a strong boil. 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. 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.
  3. 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 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary or basil, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Cook 1 minute, then add the tomato sauce and stir well. Bring to a simmer. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
  4. Spread a thin layer of the 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 the pasta into the casserole. 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.