Ziti With Ricotta Food

BAKED ZITI WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Make Sauce: Heat olive oil, over medium-high heat, in a large, high sided skillet. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Moderate heat so as not to brown onion. Turn heat to medium-low and add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
• Add beef, salt, and black pepper to skillet and cook, over medium heat, until no longer pink; drain as needed. Stir in spaghetti sauce and add Italian seasoning.
• Make Ricotta Filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs, nutmeg, Italian seasoning, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan.
• Pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
• Assembly: Add 1/2 cup of sauce to the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish and swirl to cover bottom. Spread 1/2 of cooked pasta in baking dish, then spoon a 1/2 of the meat sauce, then dollop 1/2 ricotta mixture-spreading it into an even layer with an offset spatula. Repeat with remaining layers, ending with meat sauce.Place on a rimmed cookie sheet.
• Cover and bake about 40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

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

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 II

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse.
• In a medium bowl, mix ziti, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg and 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and spoon in ziti mixture. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce, followed by Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes; let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Boil ziti, following package directions, drain and place in a large bowl.
• Mix all the ricotta cheese and half of the mozzarella with the ziti.
• Spray a 13x9 pan with Pam.
• Cover the bottom half of the pan with about half the sauce.
• Put the ziti mixture on top of sauce.
• Pour remaining sauce on top of ziti.
• Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
• Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and it is lightly golden.

BEST ZITI EVER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. In a large saucepan, heat marinara with 1 teaspoon basil until bubbling. In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
• Spread bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with sauce. Layer 1/2 of the ziti, 1/2, the sausage, 1/2 of the ricotta, and 1/2 the mozzarella. Spoon half of the sauce over top. Repeat layers. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 teaspoons basil and Italian seasoning.
• Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

ZITI WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and pour in the pasta. Stir. Set your serving bowl on top of the pot to warm it.
• While the pasta cooks, whip the ricotta and goat cheese together with a fork.
• Once the pasta is cooked al dente, ladle out about a cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the butter and the cheeses and season with pepper. Stir in enough of the pasta water - a little at a time - to make a smooth sauce.
• Scrape the pasta into the serving bowl and serve immediately. Pass the grated cheese at the table.
• Variation
• Wash about 1/2 pound of greens, something like dandelion or curly endive or Swiss chard, and cut into ribbons. Sauté the greens in a combination of olive oil and butter, about 1 tablespoon of each, until tender. Season with salt and pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper if you'd like, and add to the pasta when you add the cheeses.
• Easier still is to tear 1/2 pound of arugula or dandelion greens into small pieces and boil them along with the pasta.

BAKED ZITI WITH EGGPLANT AND RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Place eggplant cubes in colander, sprinkle generously with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain thoroughly.
• Cook ziti in large amounts of boiling salted water until tender; drain. Add butter and toss to coat.
• In large skillet, cook eggplant, onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste, 1/2 tsp salt, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese.
• In small bowl, blend ricotta cheese, egg and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.
• In shallow three quart (3mL) casserole, layer half each: cooked pasta, tomato mixture, ricotta cheese mixture and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until cheese melts.