Amazing Baked Ziti

It’s rare for me to make baked pasta; we generally eat a little lighter fare. But now and then, we’re in the mood for something savoury. Usually, I would follow the Pioneer Woman’s recipe for this Italian baked ziti, but I knew I could make a version of my own, and I was so tickled I gave it a whirl.

I wanted to kick the cheese up a notch (or ten), and it paid off. Three kinds of cheese and heavy cream blended in ooey-gooey perfection is just what a weekend needs. Plus, I had a little extra time on my hands today, so I decided to make a more proper sauce as the base rather than jarred sauce for this baked ziti.

Amazing Baked Ziti

Gretel Shaw

Baked ziti is a classic Italian comfort food you can make when you want something quick yet filling. Check out the very easy recipe here.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 people

Calories 1007 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion - finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic - pressed or minced
• 1 dash salt
• 1 dash ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground beef (minced beef)
• 1 can tomato paste
• 28 ounces tomatoes - in juice and peeled
• 3 dashes red pepper flakes
• 15 ounces Ricotta cheese
• ½ cup heavy cream (also called thickened cream)
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese - grated
•  
  1 pound dry ziti pasta
• 1 pound Mozzarella cheese - cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese - grated

Instructions

 

Base Sauce Instructions

• Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a pot over medium heat.
• Add the finely chopped yellow onion and pressed or minced garlic. Top with a couple cranks of freshly cracked salt and pepper.
• Add the meat (or don’t, it’s yummy with or without).
• Cook until your onion is translucent and the meat is cooked for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and mix thoroughly. Cook for another 2 minutes.
• Hopefully, you’ve already crushed your tomatoes with the flat of your knife. Add your crushed tomatoes and all of their sauce/juice and stir completely.
• Season again with salt and pepper and add the red pepper flakes.
• Bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit as the sauce cooks.

Filling Instructions

• Combine the 15 ounces of ricotta, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Pasta Instructions

• It’s perfection if you cook the pasta just south of al dente. We want it undercooked slightly since it will bake in the oven more.
• Ladle 1 cup of pasta water into a measuring cup, then strain the ziti and rinse with cool water. Set aside until the sauce is ready.
• Once your base sauce is done, stir in the 1 cup of pasta water you just reserved.
• Place those yummy noodles in a large bowl and add 2 cups of the sauce. Stir it up to coat the pasta evenly.
• Spoon sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish.
• Layer ziti, sauce and mozzarella in thirds. With two layers of ricotta.
• Scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella pieces.
• Layer 1/3 of the pasta.
• Dollop the other half of the ricotta mixture.
• Scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella.
• Add the remaining 1/3 of noodles.
• Spread the last third of the sauce.
• Artfully scatter the remaining 1/3 of mozzarella.
• Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes until the edges are golden and bubbling.

Nutrition

Calories: 1007kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 60gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 171mgSodium: 1126mgPotassium: 1256mgFiber: 6gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 2854IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 958mgIron: 5mg

How did this recipe turn out for you?We’re eager to hear your thoughts!