USA · Cereal and Pasta Dishes · High protein
Baked Ziti
Baked Ziti is a popular American dish of Italian origin — a casserole of tubular pasta, tomato sauce with meat and several types of cheese. Hearty and perfect for family dinners or large groups.
90 min 650 kcal 4 serves Advanced💪High protein🇺🇸USA★★★★★4.8· 5 reviews
Ingredients
ServingsMetric
- 500 gpasta ziti
- 500 gItalian sausage
- 1 onion
- 3 clovesgarlic
- 800 gtomato sauce
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 1 tbspItalian herbs
- 450 gricotta
- 2 eggs
- 300 gmozzarella
- 100 gparmesan
- to tastesalt and pepper
- for fryingolive oil
- for servingfresh parsley
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease the baking dish with olive oil. Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, fry the sausage, breaking it up with a fork, until brown. Add the onion and garlic and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste and Italian herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, eggs, half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
- In the baking dish, layer half of the pasta, half of the meat sauce, and half of the ricotta mixture. Repeat the layers. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted and browned. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.
FAQ
Yes — substitute ricotta with strained cottage cheese or sour cream. Cream cheese or mascarpone also work and give a similar creamy texture. The dish will still be delicious, just slightly less delicate inside.
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Comments (1)
Save a cup of the starchy cooking water before draining for baked ziti. That cloudy liquid is an emulsifier — a splash transforms a greasy, loose sauce into one that clings to every strand.