Meatball Spinach Baked Ziti Food

BAKED ZITI WITH SAUSAGE MEATBALLS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Using your hands, shape the sausage into about 35 (1-inch) meatballs.
• In a deep 12-inch skillet or a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium. Working in two batches, fry the meatballs until golden all over, about 2 minutes per side, then transfer to a paper towel-lined sheet pan or platter. Cook the onion until softened, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano and red-pepper flakes, if using, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and their juices to the skillet, gently crushing them. Stir in the meatballs, bring to a simmer and cook, 20 minutes. Gently fold in the spinach, tossing until it wilts. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until 2 to 3 minutes short of al dente (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain pasta.
• In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, crème fraîche and half the pecorino. Season with salt and pepper. Stir half the meatball sauce into the ricotta mixture. Add pasta and toss together to coat. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that's at least 2 1/2 inches deep. Top with the remaining meatball sauce, the mozzarella and the remaining pecorino. Place uncovered baking dish on a sheet tray and bake until the cheese is melty and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Turn heat to broil and cook until the cheese and pasta brown in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. (Don't walk away; the cheese can burn very quickly!) Remove from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

MEATBALL-AND-SPINACH BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Gently combine ground round, onion, breadcrumbs, garlic, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl; shape into 16 meatballs.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in wine, gently scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in marinara, spinach, parsley, and basil; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and fold in pasta.
• Transfer mixture to prepared pan; top with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and edges are bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley and basil.

BAKED ZITI WITH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, eggs, milk, 1/2 cup of the Romano and the parsley, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add beef and gently combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Shape into bite-size meatballs. Roll each meatball in flour to coat, shaking off excess.
• In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander and set aside. If not using immediately, cover top with plastic wrap so that pasta does not dry out. Do not rinse pasta with water since you want to retain the pasta's natural starches so that the sauce will cling to the ziti.
• In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. When almost smoking, add meatballs in batches and without moving or turning the meat, allow it to brown for about 3 minutes. Turn meatballs and brown other side. Continue to cook until all sides are golden brown. Remove meatballs to a plate.
• In a large bowl, combine the tomato sauce and ricotta and mix well. Add the cooked ziti and meatballs and toss gently.
• In a large greased baking dish, pour in pasta mixture. Sprinkle the mozzarella, Parmesan, and remaining Romano all over the top. Dot with the butter. Place baking dish on top of baking sheet covered with aluminum foil to collect any drippings from the dish. Bake until top is golden brown and bubbly, about 30 to 40 minutes.

BAKED ZITI AND MEATBALL CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In saucepot, prepare pasta as label directs in boiling salted water, drain. Return pasta to saucepot.
• Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, heat tomato sauce, covered, until hot over medium-low heat. (If tomato sauce is frozen, add 2 tablespoons water to saucepan to prevent sorching). Add 3 cups sauce to pasta in saucepot, toss well. Reserve remaining 1 cup sauce.
• In medium bowl, stir together egg, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Into 3 1/2- to 4-quart shallow casserole or 13-inch by 9-inch glass baking dish, spoon half the pasta mixture, top with all the sliced meatballs. Drop ricotta-cheese mixture by spoonfuls evenly over meatball layer. Spoon remaining pasta mixture over ricotta-cheese layer, then spoon remaining 1 cup sauce over pasta. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, 60 minutes or until very hot and cheese browns slightly.

BAKED ZITI WITH SPINACH AND MEAT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir ground beef, onion, and 1/2 of the garlic in the hot skillet until beef is until browned and onion is wilted, 5 to 7 minutes. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.
• While the meat sauce is simmering, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Mix ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and wilted spinach in a bowl. Season with salt.
• Place 1/2 of the ziti in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish and layer with 1/2 of the meat sauce. Spread provolone cheese on top to form a flat surface. Spread spinach mixture over top, then cover with remaining ziti and meat sauce. Top with 2 tablespoons Parmesan and sprinkle mozzarella over top.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let firm up for at least 10 minutes before serving.

MEATBALL & SPINACH BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish Cook pasta until aldente Gently combine ground round, onion, breadcrumbs, garlic, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Shape into 16 meatballs Heat oil in skillet over medium heat Add meatballs and brown on all sides ( 6-8 minutes ) Stir in wine and scrape pan Stir in marinara, spinach, parsley, and basil Bring to a simmer Transfer mixture to prepared pan Top with mozzarella cheese Bake until cheese is melted and edges are bubbly - 25-30 minutes Let stand 10 minutes before serving Garnish with parsley and basil

BAKED MEATBALL ZITI

Steps:

• Meatball:.
• Preheat oven to 425°F
• Grease a cookie sheet with spray.
• Mix all ingredients together by hand and form into over sized golf balls.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes, until no longer pink in the middle.
• Just before pasta is done add spinach to the cooking water for 1 minute then drain well.
• Lower oven to 350°F
• Oil a 10 x 13 casserole pan.
• Mix Ricotta, egg, parsley, mozzarella, and 3/4 of the Romano cheese.
• Mix the cheese together with the cooked pasta to coat.
• Spoon about 1 cup tomato sauce prepared dish and spoon half of pasta on top. Place meatballs on pasta topping with half the remaining sauce. Spread remaining pasta mixture and then top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with Romano cheese. And if you like top with additional mozzarella sliced thin. Bake ziti in middle of oven 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden, and let stand 10 minutes before serving.