Baked Ziti
This is a crowd-pleaser casserole that has all the satisfying parts of lasagna without the tedious layering. The foundation is a robust sausage and tomato sauce combined with a creamy ricotta-mozzarella mixture.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion ~1 1/2 cups, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound Italian sausage sweet, hot, or a mix
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 2 cans San Marzano crushed tomatoes 28-ounce
- 1 can tomato paste 6-ounce
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 pound low-moisture mozzarella freshly grated
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for topping
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Method
- Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onion until translucent, 5-7 minutes.
- Add sausage, break apart, and brown completely.
- Add wine, deglaze pot, reduce by half.
- Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Simmer partially covered 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Cook ziti 2-3 minutes less than package directions.
- Mix ricotta, 3/4 of mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and basil in bowl.
- Combine cooked pasta with sauce.
- Layer half pasta mixture in 9x13 baking dish.
- Spread ricotta mixture over pasta.
- Top with remaining pasta and sauce.
- Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and extra Parmesan.
- Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese browns.
- Rest 10 minutes before serving.
- Note: Pasta must be very al dente as it will continue cooking in oven.