Authentic Baked Ziti Recipe

Name: Authentic Baked Ziti
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb ziti pasta; 1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese; 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; salt; pepper; crushed red pepper flakes; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage; 1/2 lb hot Italian sausage; 1/2 medium onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 28 ounces whole peeled san marzano tomatoes; 6 ounces marzano tomato paste; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 sprig fresh basil

Servings: persons

1 lb ziti pasta
1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt
pepper
crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
1/2 lb hot Italian sausage
1/2 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
28 ounces whole peeled san marzano tomatoes
6 ounces marzano tomato paste
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh basil

1
SAUCE.
2
Remove the sausage casings and crumble the sausage.
3
Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to a pan, and brown the sausage.
4
Puree the tomatoes in a blender (not too much).
5
Add onions and garlic to now-browned sausage. Cook for a few more minutes until transparent.
6
Add your tomato puree to the sausage.
7
Add thyme and basil to sauce.
8
Add some salt and pepper to taste.
9
Add a generous pinch of the pepper flakes.
10
Stir this up, heat to near-boil, then let it simmer covered on low for 15 minutes.
11
BUILDING THE DISH.
12
Boil your ziti pasta to not quite al-dente. Don't overboil, pasta will soften while baking.
13
Cut the mozarella, half of it into 1/2 inch cubes, the other half in as thin of slices as you can manage.
14
Remove the herb sprigs from the sauce and discard.
15
Add the can of tomato paste to your sauce to thicken it up and give it a lively red color and more intense flavor.
16
Add the pasta, your sauce, the cubed mozarella and half the parmesan in a baking dish.
17
Top with the sliced mozarella and the remainder of the parmesan.
18
Bake for about 30 minutes until golden.

1085

kcal

Calories

Fat

133

Carbs

Protein

Fat Carbs Protein

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

No additional tips available.

No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.

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This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.

You need 15 ingredients. The key ingredients include: 1 lb ziti pasta, 1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, salt, and more.

Yes, Authentic Baked Ziti falls under the Pasta & Noodles category and is a great choice for this type of meal.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Authentic Baked Ziti

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