Smoky Baked Ziti And Sausage Recipes

FIRE-ROASTED ZITI WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook ziti according to package directions for al dente. Drain; return to pot., Add tomatoes, pasta sauce and sausage to ziti; heat through over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cook, covered, 2-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

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 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 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 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 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 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.

BAKED SMOKED SAUSAGE ZITI

Steps:

• 1. Start by putting the ziti noodles to boil and drain.
• 2. Slice smoked sausage into desired size pieces, the flatter and thinner the better and brown them in a skillet.
• 3. Combine spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley flakes,and salt in a sauce pan and simmer for 5 minutes. (also add any other ingredients you like in your sauce, like peppers, at this time)
• 4. Add browned smoked sausage to sauce and simmer an additional 5 minutes so that all ingredients flavors have time to combine.
• 5. In a 9x9x2 glass baking dish start layering ingredients. First a small amount of spaghetti sauce on bottom of dish to keep noodles from sticking, then ziti noodles, then the rest of the spaghetti sauce, smother in the shredded cheddar cheese.
• 6. Bake (uncovered) at 350 for 30 minutes or until cheese has began to bubble and turn golden brown.
• 7. Remove from oven, let stand 5 minutes then serve.

SMOKY BAKED ZITI AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F Grease a 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish. Set aside.
• Cook pasta in lightly salted boiling water for 8 to 9 minutes. Drain.
• In medium-size bowl, stir together the cheeses, garlic salt, basil, and black pepper.
• In large bowl, stir together cooked pasta, half of the cheese mixture, red pepper, sausage, half of the drained tomatoes, and half of the pasta sauce.
• Spoon pasta mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with remaining drained tomatoes, pasta sauce, and cheese mixture.
• Cover and bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.