Having to come up with something for dinner every night is always a challenge. You want to come up with something that will make your family happy without spending hours in the kitchen. You want your family to like what you make, but you want it to be something that will stick with them for a while.
Baked ziti is the definition of comfort food. The layers of ooey gooey cheese combined with pasta and tasty tomato sauce is hearty and satisfying. Plus, it has all the flavors of lasagna with only a fraction of the prep time.
Ziti Pasta
This easy recipe contains just five ingredients, so dinner comes together in a snap. Even though this dinner takes a bit of time to cook, the amount of prep time it takes is very minimal.
Baked ziti is an especially great meal in the winter because it’s so warm and comforting. But let’s face it: there’s never a bad time for pasta! You can make this meal any time of year. We often make it even in the summer because it’s guaranteed to be a hit at the dinner table.
Many of us are trying to eat healthier. For lots of us, that means reducing red meat in particular. Even if you just dedicate one meal each week to leave out the meat (like “meatless Monday”) it’s still healthier to skip the meat once in a while than not at all.
Baked Ziti Recipe
This recipe is a winner because it’s completely vegetarian. But you’ll never miss the meat because the cheese provides lots of protein and substance to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Even the burliest of men are not likely to miss the meat in a meal like this.
If you’re going to a potluck, this also makes a perfect dish to pass. It’s both easy and inexpensive to make. It’s also a great choice for a meal to take for a meal train, such as when a family has a new baby or has been sick.
One of the best parts about this recipe is that even though it’s simple, you can customize it any way you want. You can use any shape of noodles you have on hand. If you really need some meat, Italian sausage or ground beef both work well in the dish. You can doctor it up with some Italian seasoning or make it spicier by adding a little bit of crushed red pepper.
And even though this is a filling main course, you may still want to serve it with side dishes. A garden salad and some breadsticks or garlic bread make perfect accompaniments. Bon appetit!
Can I Make This Recipe With My Kids?
This is a great recipe for teaching kids how to cook. With simple steps and so few ingredients, it’s an easy introduction on how to follow a recipe. It’s a meal every cook should have in their repertoire, but certainly when you have kids in your family.
Before cooking this recipe with your kids, make sure appropriate safety precautions have been taken. Your kids should be old enough to handle cooking utensils appropriately, without a high risk for accidents or injuries. They should also be able to act appropriately in the kitchen, so as to avoid any safety concerns.
As long as your kids are old enough and have been given a stern talking-to about safety, you're good to go! Get them together and have them give you a hand with this great recipe. They'll be so eager to sit down at the table to try their creation!
Make sure to give each child their own task, when possible, so that there's little to no overlap. This will avoid sibling competition slowing down the recipe or causing mistakes. In addition, every child will feel included in their own unique way. Now, let's get into the exact instructions for this baked ziti recipe!
Should I cover Baked Ziti while it's baking? Yes. Cover loosely with foil so it doesn't stick to the cheese, then bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil so the cheese can go bubbly and golden!
How is Sicilian Baked Ziti different from traditional Baked Ziti? Sicilian Baked Ziti often includes the addition of eggplant, known as “pasta alla Norma,” which gives it a unique Sicilian twist. This dish also tends to use more ricotta cheese and less tomato sauce compared to traditional Baked Ziti.
I always add a lot of sauce and that helps prevent the dried out top layer. Take out of the oven as soon as cheese is melted and golden. It's also important to make sure all pasta is covered with sauce.
Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half of the remaining mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta, sauce, and mozzarella. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Why is my pasta bake watery? There are a couple of reasons why your pasta bake might be runny. Sauce that is thick at room temperature or from the fridge will thin out in the hot oven. It is better to have a thicker sauce at the beginning, so it will be the right consistency after cooking.
Baked Ziti is a popular Italian-American dish that is not commonly found in Italy. It is a casserole-style pasta that typically consists of ziti pasta, tomato sauce, cheese (usually a combination of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan), and added ingredients like meat or vegetables.
It's a lot like a classic lasagna casserole, but easier to make and without lots of layers or broken noodles. It makes for a perfect midweek or weekend meal, or a hot dish to bring to a potluck. Make extra and freeze for later.
zi·ti ˈzēt-ē plural ziti. : medium-sized tube-shaped pasta. Etymology. Italian, plural of zito "a piece of tubular pasta," probably short for maccheroni di zita, literally, "bride's macaroni"
Cottage cheese: As far as ricotta substitutes go, light and mild cottage cheese is your best bet. In fact, some people prefer to use cottage cheese because it has a similar flavor and fewer calories.
Cooked pasta is the ideal food for the growth of bacteria as it's full of carbohydrates, sugar, and other food ingredients that taste good. Any food left out for over three hours at room temperature is likely to be spoiled.
Mascarpone is a rich, soft Italian cheese. It's similar to cream cheese in texture but is made with heavy cream rather than milk. If you're wondering what is ricotta cheese substitute for desserts, mascarpone is a great option.
In Italian cuisine, ricotta cheese is a popular ingredient in many dishes, but when it's not available, Italians may substitute it with other soft cheeses like mascarpone, stracchino, or crescenza. These cheeses offer a similar creamy texture and mild flavor to ricotta.
For extra creamy ricotta, add in an extra egg, a handful of grated parmesan, and a quarter cup of shredded mozzarella. Eggs help prevent the ricotta from drying out and serve to bind the ricotta so it doesn't become runny. One or more eggs are recommended whether you add the other ingredients mentioned here or not.
Bake, uncovered, 350°F until lightly browned and bubbly, 60 to 70 minutes. Cover with foil if the top browns before the inside is fully heated. Freezing and reheating a baked ziti: Bake, covered with foil, at 350°F. (Make sure you remove any plastic wrap first.)
If you prefer a tender and moist result, covered baking will be the better option. If you're desiring a crispy exterior and bolder flavors, uncovered baking is best.
Leaving the pot uncovered is also key because pasta should be stirred frequently to prevent sticking. Plus, because pasta should be cooked until al dente, a lid will make it hard to decipher how far along you are in the process, and might even lead to mushy noodles, which is the last thing you want.
I boil my pasta to just under a minute of “al dente” and then after my layering it typically bake it uncovered because I want the crusty cheese on top.
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