Zippy Baked Ziti Recipes

BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and boil the pasta until al dente (tender but still slightly firm). Drain.
• Toss the cooked pasta with the quick tomato sauce, cubed mozzarella, half the Parmesan, all of the black pepper and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish. Cover the top of the pasta with the sliced mozzarella and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake until lightly browned and hot, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and season with pepper. Use now or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and saute until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook until browned. Drain off almost all of the fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove 3 to 4 cups of the cooked sauce to a bowl to cool down.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Cook the ziti until not quite al dente.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a bowl, mix 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, eggs and some salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).
• Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps). Add the cooled reserved meat sauce and toss to combine.
• Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta and the remaining sauce and mozzarella.
• Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before sprinkling with chopped parsley to serve.

BAKED ZITI I

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
• In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

CROWD-PLEASING BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook the beef, sausage, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, basil, sugar, salt, pepper flakes and pepper., Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover; simmer 15-30 minutes longer or until sauce reaches desired thickness. Discard bay leaf. Cool., Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup sauce mixture, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Romano cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and pasta., Spread 1-1/2 cups sauce mixture into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Dot with 1/2 cup ricotta cheese. Top with pasta mixture. Pour remaining sauce mixture over the top. Dot with remaining ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella, Romano and Parmesan cheeses., Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 20-25 minutes longer or until bubbly.

HOMEMADE BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• To make the sauce: First, brown the ground beef and Port. Sausage in separate frying pans over medium heat. Make sure the beef is in a large frying pan, and drain the fat. When the sausage is done, pat it dry with paper towels to remove the grease. When the beef is just about done, grind the pepper over the beef, probably about 1 Tbsp worth.
• Add about 1/2 to 1 Tbsp soy sauce and mix it in to the beef.
• You can replace the soy sauce with salt, but it adds a nice zing to the flavor.
• At this point, I usually cut the onion into chunks and throw it into my Cuisinart with the garlic, and shred them to bits, and toss them in .
• But sliced into small bits works well also.
• Add the onion and garlic, and let cook down (covered) until the onion gets a little clear.
• I add a little oil here sometimes, depending on how much fat was in the meat. Add the tomato paste, and mix it in .
• I do the paste first because it makes it faster and easier to get the consistency right when the sauce comes in .
• Add the sauce and mix it well.
• Add generous amounts of the oregano and Italian Seasoning.
• Don't go overboard on the basil though.
• Add the bay leaves.
• Let it simmer.
• Mix it, and let it simmer longer.
• Start the water boiling for the ziti.
• Add some salt and oil to the water to make it boil quicker, and to help keep the zitis from sticking.
• Throw the green pepper, sausage, and mushrooms into the sauce. Next stir about 4 or 5 Tbsp Parmesan cheese in to the sauce. When the ziti is done, drain them and dump into a large rectangular Pyrex.
• I don't remember the exact size, but I think its around 9x18.
• You may have a touch too many zitis, but they are delicious plain, so eat any extras.
• Once the Parmesan has melted into the sauce and made it stringy, and the sauce has thickened, stir the sauce into the zitis.
• Mix it all well.
• Now, lay the sliced mozzarella over the ziti like shingles on a roof.
• Sprinkle over some more Parmesan, maybe a tablespoons.
• Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

EASY ZITI BAKE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce. , In a large bowl, combine eggs, ricotta cheese, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta; add to cheese mixture and stir until blended., Spoon a third of the meat sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; top with half of the pasta mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining meat sauce., Cover and bake 40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

THE BEST BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Cut down the length of each sausage with a sharp knife. Remove and discard casings.
• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over high heat. Add sausages and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up with a spatula, until the sausage begins to brown, and the onion turns translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add oregano, thyme, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in marinara sauce. Pour 1 cup water into each jar to rinse out remaining sauce; add to the saucepan. Stir together and bring sauce to a simmer.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Turn off heat and reserve until needed. Before using, skim any excess fat that rises to the surface.
• While sauce simmers, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 or 2 minutes less than the directions on the package call for, about 8 minutes. Drain well and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
• Carefully add the meat sauce and stir until thoroughly combined. Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a large 9x15-inch or 9x13-inch casserole dish with a drizzle of olive oil.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer half of the pasta and sauce mixture to the prepared dish, then use a spatula to even out into a uniform layer. Top with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, and then 1/2 of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, being sure to distribute evenly. Top with the rest of the pasta and sauce mixture and give the pan a little shake to settle the sauce. Repeat the cheese application.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the casserole is piping hot, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Top with parsley.

DELICIOUSLY CHEESY BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• Cook ziti according to package directions; drain; set aside.
• Mix ricotta, egg, parsley, 1-1/2 cups of the mozarella cheese, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl.
• Mix cooked sausage and pasta in with ricotta mixture.
• Mix in 3/4 jar of sauce.
• Transfer mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish.
• Top with the rest of the sauce and mozarella cheese.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
• To freeze: Cover dish with foil and freeze. When frozen you can pop it out of the container and put in a freezer bag if desired.
• To heat: Thaw. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more.