Baked Ziti And Sausage Recipes

BAKED ZITI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Cook sausage links according to package directions; drain, cut into ¼-inch slices.
• In a large bowl, combine sausage slices, pasta, pasta sauce, water, basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, pepper and mix well.
• Spoon mixture into a greased 9-in. x 13-in. x 2-in. baking dish.
• Arrange garlic bread slices on top of meat mixture.
• Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.
• In a small bowl, dip tomato slices into olive oil.
• Place one slice of tomato on each piece of bread.
• Bake uncovered, at 400°F for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with basil leaves. Serve.

BAKED ZITI WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven so you want to undercook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position.
• Heat a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Add the cream, ⅓ cup of the pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half the remaining pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.
• Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dish can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months. (If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.) Whether refrigerated or frozen and defrosted, bake, covered tightly with aluminum foil, in a 425°F oven for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout.

BAKED ZITI WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare ziti according to package directions for al dente.
• Meanwhile, cook pancetta in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add sausage, and sauté 5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Add wine, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and next 3 ingredients. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes.
• Stir ricotta and 1 cup mozzarella cheese into hot cooked pasta. Lightly grease a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer pasta mixture to prepared dish, and top with sausage mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
• Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly.

BAKED ZITI AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; place in a large bowl. In a small skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and cut into 1/2-in. slices., In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Pour over pasta; toss to coat., In a small bowl, combine the egg, cottage cheese, parsley, and remaining Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Spoon half of the pasta mixture into a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Top with cottage cheese mixture. Add sausage to the remaining pasta mixture; spoon over the top. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and paprika. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°.

BAKED ZITI WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the ziti, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
• While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, and cook and stir until brown, about 10 minutes. Drain sausage and set aside.
• Stir together the ricotta, egg, onion, garlic, and oregano in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in the drained pasta, the drained sausage, salt, pepper, and 1/2 jar of the spaghetti sauce; mix well.
• In the prepared baking dish, cover the bottom with 1/3 jar of spaghetti sauce. Layer 1/2 of the pasta mixture, 1/3 jar of spaghetti sauce, and 1/2 of the shredded cheese. Then layer the remaining 1/2 of the pasta, 1/3 of the sauce, and 1/2 of the cheese. Sprinkle with basil. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. Uncover; return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted, 5 to 10 more minutes.

BAKED ZITI WITH SAUSAGE AND BECHAMEL

Steps:

• Transfer whole peeled tomatoes (with their juices) to a large bowl and squeeze with your hands to break up; set aside. Heat oil in a pot over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until browned in places and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add reserved crushed tomatoes to pot along with can of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water (pour water into sauce can and swirl to catch any left inside). Season generously with salt and pepper; let simmer until flavors meld, skimming fat as needed, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F. Cook pasta in a pot of salted boiling water about 5 minutes less than package instructions (so it still has some bite in the center and won't overcook in the oven). Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain and rinse noodles under cool water to stop cooking.
• In now-empty pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until combined and lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until consistency is like slightly thickened cream, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt, nutmeg, and 1/3 cup Parmigiano. Press plastic wrap directly on surface to prevent a skin from forming.
• In a large bowl, toss pasta with 3 cups tomato sauce, 1/2 cup Parmigiano, 1/2 cup reserved pasta water (or up to 1 cup, if sauce is very thick), and basil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread half of bechamel in the bottom of a 3-to-3 1/2-quart baking dish. Top with half of pasta mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, half of mozzarella, and 1/2 cup Parmigiano. Layer with remaining pasta and 1 cup tomato sauce.
• Spoon the last of the bechamel evenly on top, followed by remaining mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmigiano; top with a few spoons of tomato sauce. Sprinkle with more Parmigiano. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment (to catch spills).
• Bake, uncovered, until browned in places and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes, top with more basil leaves, and serve.

THREE-CHEESE BAKED ZITI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 4-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick spray. Combine mozzarella and Italian blend cheeses in a bowl and place in the refrigerator.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
• At the same time, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and break up into morsels. Sprinkle baking soda onto sausage, then add onion and garlic. Cook and stir, continuing to break up any clumps as it cooks, until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour off and discard any grease.
• Add pasta sauce, olives, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, anchovy paste, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add up to 3 tablespoons more oil if desired, and continue stirring until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring regularly, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in ziti.
• Spread 1/2 of the sauced ziti into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle 1/2 of the shredded cheese mixture evenly on top. Spoon or ladle the rest of the ziti evenly on top without disturbing the layers underneath; it's okay to have some ziti partially exposed as they will brown handsomely and deliciously as they bake. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese mixture on top and sprinkle Parmesan across the surface.
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

SIMPLE SAUSAGE BAKED ZITI - ONLY 5 INGREDIENTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Boil water to cook 10 oz. or a little more than half of a large box of ziti and cook til al dente then drain.
• Brown and crumble the sausage and then add spaghetti sauce to the sausage to warm up.
• In a 4-5 quart casserole dish pour in cooked ziti and top with alfredo sauce stirring to mix well.
• Pour sausage and spaghetti sauce on top of the alfredo, but do not stir it together.
• Cover with shredded mozzarella and bake for 30 minutes.

BAKED ZITI AND SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 3-quart baking dish.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until JUST tender (do not over-cook the pasta as it will cook more in the oven!).
• Place the cooked pasta in a large bowl.
• Heat oil; add in the sausage meat and cook until browned, remove to a plate.
• For the white sauce; melt butter in a medium saucepan; add the onion, garlic and cayenne pepper if using) saute for about 3-4 minutes.
• Add in flour and whisk for 1 minute.
• Slowly add in half and half cream; bring to a simmer, whisking constantly until thickened.
• Remove from heat; add in 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, then season with seasoned salt (or white salt) and pepper to taste.
• Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked pasta in the bowl; mix with a wooden spoon.
• In a medium bowl mix together the cottage cheese with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, egg and chopped parsley, then season with salt and lots of pepper.
• Spoon HALF of the creamed ziti mixture into the prepared baking dish, then spread the cottage cheese mixture on top, then spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top of the cottage cheese mixture.
• Sprinkle the cooked sausage meat on the top.
• Top with mozzarella cheese, then sprinkle paprika on top.
• Bake uncovered for about 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and hot.
• Let stand about 5 or more minutes before serving.

SPEEDY BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until browned in places and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in marinara sauce and 1 cup water. Season with salt and pepper; simmer 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook 12 ounces ziti or rigatoni in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain. Add pasta, reserved pasta water, basil, and 3/4 cup chopped mozzarella to skillet; toss to combine. Season to taste.
• In a bowl, whisk together ricotta and heavy cream; season. Spoon mixture evenly over top of pasta. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup chopped mozzarella and Parmigiano. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until ziti is browned and bubbly and edges begin to crisp, about 20 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

BAKED ZITI WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Meanwhile, crumble sausage into large skillet; cook and stir on medium heat 8 min. or until done. Drain.
• Drain pasta. Combine egg, ricotta, onions, garlic and oregano in large bowl. Add pasta, sausage, pasta sauce, pepper and half the shredded cheese; mix lightly.
• Spoon pasta mixture into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese and basil.
• Bake 30 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 20 min.