Very Best Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti with Sausage

(Source: Once Upon a Chef)

1 lb ziti noodles
1.5 lbs ground spicy or sweet Italian sausage (or removed from casings)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano) cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

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 heavy cream, 1/3 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 of 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: This dish can be assembled and refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days in advance. Since the dish will be cold, the baking time will need to be increased. To bake, cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in a 425°F oven for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout.

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dish can be frozen unbaked. When you’re ready to cook it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then proceed with the Make Ahead instructions above.

Baked Ziti

Whenever I think of baked ziti, it always brings me back to what the cafeteria served while I was living in the student dorm as a college kid. It was always ziti mixed with spaghetti sauce and topped with mozzarella then baked until everything got hot. Not very appetizing at all.

Then I heard so many people talk about Pioneer Woman's baked ziti and how it's soooooooo good. I finally caved and made it for dinner after hearing so many raving reviews, and I was not disappointed. This is seriously the best Baked Ziti that I've had, ever! Even Dr. Sweetpea was raving about how good this turned out to be, and he is hard to please when it comes to pasta. This is definitely a keeper recipe for us.

Baked Ziti

(Source: Ree Drummond)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, diced

1 pound ground beef

1 pound Italian sausage

2 (14.5 oz) cans tomato sauce or marinara sauce

1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes with juice

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ziti

1 1/2 pounds mozzarella, grated

1 (15 oz) tub whole-milk ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for sprinkling

2 eggs

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.