Herby Spinach And Mushroom Baked Ziti Recipes

BAKED ZITI WITH SPINACH & MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 F
• In a large, 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat, add onion, garlic and mushrooms and season generously with salt and pepper, Italian herbs, cooking and stirring until mushrooms release all their liquids and this cooks off, and eventually they get golden brown, about 12 minutes. Taste and make sure these are salted and flavorful.
• Add fresh spinach and wilt, then add 2 cups of broth or stock, a jar of marinara sauce and the dry pasta. Stir, and bring to a simmer. Dot with the dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with mozzarella and pecorino. Cover well and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
• Uncover and let the cheese get a little golden for a couple of minutes (feel free to broil). If there seems to be too much liquid left in the pan, simply simmer uncovered on the stovetop for 1-2 minutes until it evaporates.
• Garnish with fresh herbs and chili flakes.

BAKED ZITI WITH SPINACH AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook spinach as package directs, drain, cool and squeeze out well.
• Add eggs, ricotta cheese, parm. cheese, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
• Combine cooked ziti with sauce and oregano. Place 1/2 ziti miture in lightly greased 13X9 baking dish, layered with cheese and spinach mixture. Add remaining ziti.
• Cover with tin foil and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minute or until bubbly.

BAKED ZITI WITH VEGETABLES AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell peppers, and sauté 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in basil, salt, black pepper, tomatoes, and tomato sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Stir in pasta. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Dollop with ricotta.
• Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Note: To make ahead, assemble casserole as directed. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature, and bake as directed.

BAKED ZITI WITH SPINACH AND MEAT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• 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 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir ground beef, onion, and 1/2 of the garlic in the hot skillet until beef is until browned and onion is wilted, 5 to 7 minutes. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.
• While the meat sauce is simmering, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Mix ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and wilted spinach in a bowl. Season with salt.
• Place 1/2 of the ziti in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish and layer with 1/2 of the meat sauce. Spread provolone cheese on top to form a flat surface. Spread spinach mixture over top, then cover with remaining ziti and meat sauce. Top with 2 tablespoons Parmesan and sprinkle mozzarella over top.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let firm up for at least 10 minutes before serving.

BAKED ZITI WITH SQUASH & MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375ºF.
• Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add squash and mushrooms; cook and stir 8 min. or until squash is tender. Add garlic and rosemary; cook and stir 1 min. Add broth and Neufchatel; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until Neufchatel is completely melted and mixture is well blended.
• Drain pasta. Add to squash mixture in skillet along with the spinach and 1/2 cup shredded cheese; mix lightly. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover.
• Bake 15 to 20 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining shredded cheese; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted.

SPINACH ZITI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook until tender but still firm, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium sized non-reactive pan, combine tomatoes and hot pepper flakes. Warm over medium-low heat, breaking up tomatoes if necessary.
• Drain pasta and return to hot pan. Add spinach, cream cheese and nutmeg. Cook, stirring, over low heat until spinach wilts, 1-2 minutes. Pour tomato sauce over spinach ziti. Stir and toss gently to mix.

BAKED ZITI WITH MUSHROOMS, PEPPERS, AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Chop yellow bell peppers and onion and mince garlic. In a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan cook yellow peppers, onion, and garlic in 1 tablespoon oil, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until peppers are soft, about 30 minutes. Stir in cream. In a blender puree mixture in batches (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper. (Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring sauce to room temperature before proceeding.)
• Thinly slice mushrooms lengthwise and cut red and orange bell peppers into 1/4-inch-wide strips. In a deep large heavy skillet cook mushrooms and peppers in remaining 2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until peppers are softened and most of liquid is evaporated, about 8 minutes, and season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Fill a 6- to 7-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in ziti and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water and drain ziti well in a colander. Rinse ziti and drain well. Thinly slice scallion greens. Into sauce stir ziti, mushroom mixture, scallion greens, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, reserved cooking water, and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into a 3-quart shallow baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
• Bake ziti in middle of oven until hot and pasta begins to brown, about 20 minutes.