Recipe: Appetizing Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over high heat. Cook the ziti until not quite al dente. Toss the cooked pasta with the quick tomato sauce, cubed mozzarella, half the Parmesan, all of the black pepper and crushed red pepper in a large bowl.

Baked Ziti is a classic baked pasta dish. It's basically some kind of tomato or meat sauce baked in a dish with some kind of cheese and, of course, ziti noodles—unless you're me, then you use mostaciolli noodles. Some people just use tomato/marinara sauce. You can have Baked Ziti using 15 ingredients and 7 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Baked Ziti

1. You need 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil.
2. You need 3 cloves of Garlic, Minced.
3. It's 1 of whole Large Onion, Diced.
4. It's 1 pound of Italian Sausage.
5. It's 1 pound of Ground Beef.
6. Prepare 1 can (28 Oz.) of Size) Whole Tomatoes, With Juice.
7. You need 2 cans (14.5 Ounce) of Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce.
8. It's 2 teaspoons of Italian Seasoning.
9. It's 1/2 teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes.
10. Prepare to taste of Salt And Pepper,.
11. It's 16 of ounces, of any pasta you'd like Cooked Until Not Quite Al Dente.
12. You need 1 tub (15 Oz.) of Size) Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese.
13. Prepare 1-1/2 pound of Mozzarella Cheese, Grated.
14. Prepare 1/2 cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese.
15. Prepare 1 of whole Egg.

That, of course, would never fly in this house. Baked macaroni dishes like ziti combine cooked pasta with a sauce, vegetable, and/or meat -- and plenty of cheese. All the ingredients are layered or tossed into a casserole dish and baked in the oven for less than an hour. It's a versatile dish that can be adapted in so many ways, including adding leftovers.

Baked Ziti instructions

1. Preheat oven at 375 Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for several minutes, or until starting to soften. Add Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture..
2. Add tomatoes, tomato juice, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. After that time, remove 3 to 4 cups of the sauce to a different bowl to cool down..
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely)..
4. 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 meat sauce and toss to combine..
5. 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 cheese. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta, the sauce, and the mozzarella..
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving..
7. .

This baked ziti is layered almost like a lasagna to ensure every bite has enough creamy ricotta, stringy mozzarella and tangy tomato sauce. Baked ziti can become dry for several reasons. When assembling the dish, be sure to cover the pasta with enough of the sauce so that the noodles don't dry out. Also, to prevent moisture from evaporating while cooking, cover the dish tightly with foil. What can I add to this recipe?