Baked Ziti
Photo: Lili from NY, United States, CC BY 2.0
Baked ziti is a pan of tube pasta bound with tomato sauce and three kinds of cheese, a staple of Italian-American kitchens. The trick here is the ricotta filling, lightened with egg and a generous handful of fresh basil, oregano and parsley, which stays creamy through the bake instead of turning dry. A final layer of mozzarella, Parmesan and bread crumbs gives you a crisp golden lid over the soft pasta below.
Instructions
Heat the oven to 425 °F (225 °C). Coat a large baking dish with olive oil.
In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, beaten egg, basil, oregano, parsley and about half of the mozzarella and Parmesan until the mixture is even. Season with salt and pepper.
Boil the ziti in a large pot of salted water until al dente, then drain it well.
In a large bowl or pot, toss the hot ziti with the marinara sauce and the red pepper flakes, if using, until every piece is coated. Fold in the ricotta mixture until the cheese starts to melt into the pasta, then spoon it into the oiled dish and spread it level.
Scatter the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top, then cover with the bread crumbs.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the top cheese is golden and bubbling at the edges.
Make it personal.
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