The Very Best Baked Ziti Recipe (VIDEO)
A Sunday dinner classic, this Baked Ziti Recipe is layer upon layer of cheese, carb-y heaven. Italian sausage, mushrooms and ricotta cheese are blanked between layers of fresh mozzarella and ziti pasta before being baked to a melty masterpiece. The BEST Baked Ziti ever made.
_________________Get the Full Recipe________________________
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces Italian sausage casings removed
1 large onion finely chopped
4 ounces button mushrooms finely chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups marinara sauce
1 pound ricotta
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup grated parmesan Plus more for grating before serving
1 pound ziti
1 pound fresh mozzarella cut into bite sized pieces
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the pot and cook to just al dente, approximately 7 minutes. Drain the pasta. Set aside.
Cook the sausage in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat breaking up into pieces with a fork until no longer pink. Transfer the sausage to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Drain off all but two tablespoons fat from the pan.
Add the onion and mushrooms to the pan and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add the tomato paste and cook the mixture until it turns a deep crimson color, approximately 2-3 minutes. Stir in the marinara and remove from the heat.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, heavy cream and parmesan cheese.
Place the pasta in a large bowl and stir in 2 cups of the sauce.
Spread a bit of the sauce on the bottom of a 3 quart baking side and top with 1/3 of the pasta. Spread 1/3 of the remaining sauce on top and then top with 1/2 the sausage and 1/2 the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 the mozzarella and then repeat the layers beginning with the pasta. Sprinkle the top layer with a bit more parmesan and place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with foil (for easy clean up)
Bake 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
For a printable recipe card: https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/the-very-best-baked-ziti-recipe/
){kind=link}
){kind=link}