The Sopranos fans are quite familiar with baked ziti. In fact, it is fair to say that many of them have probably watched the show while sipping on a glass of wine and enjoying some homemade baked ziti. Some might ask, “What exactly is baked ziti, and how is it made?”
Pasta is named for its shaped. Ziti is hollow and cylindrical, like what is found in a box of traditional Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, only bigger. Baked ziti is like most other wonderful Italian pasta dishes consisting of one’s favorite sauce, meat, and cheese. That’s pretty much it.
Baked Ziti Ingredients
These ingredients can be found in any grocery store. It is very important to use the best ingredients. One might be tempted to buy processed, shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, but anyone who has used fresh cheese knows that the shredded cheeses are not the same; they are weak in flavor and have a different consistency. Also, manufacturers add anti-clumping agents to shredded cheese. Fresh mozzarella comes in balls or cylinders packed in water. It is soft and a little messy to work with, but is worth it.
Ground sirloin is strongly recommended for this recipe mostly because it is lean and is one of the healthiest options among ground beef products. It also has a good flavor and does not shrink because of the low fat content. This particular baked ziti recipe uses ground sirloin instead of meatballs, and is quite cheesy and saucy.
- 1 pound ziti;
- Pinch of salt;
- 1.5 to 2 pounds lean ground sirloin;
- 8 cups pasta sauce;
- 8 oz block Pecorino Romano;
- 8 oz block Parmigiano-Reggiano or parmesan;
- 8 oz Mozzarella;
- 15 to 30 ounces ricotta cheese;
- Two pans for stovetop cooking;
- A very large bowl – larger than 3.5 quarts;
- A large, baking pan – larger than 3.5 quarts;
- Cheese grater;
- Cutting board;
- Knife and spoon;
- Turn on the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Coat the baking pan with a thin layer of canola oil to prevent sticking.
- Place the ground sirloin in a pan, cover, and brown over low to medium heat.
- Cook the ziti in the other pan with salt (to taste) until it is al dente – about seven minutes.
- Grate the Romano and parmesan cheeses.
- Place the ziti in the large bowl; add 4 cups of sauce and ¼ each of the Romano and parmesan cheeses, and mix together.
- Place the meat in the large bowl and gently mix with the ziti mixture.
- Place half of the ziti mixture in the baking pan and spread the ricotta cheese on top.
- Cover the ricotta with all of the mozzarella and half of each of the remaining Romano and Parmesan cheeses.
- Pour 2 cups of sauce over the cheese in the pan.
- Add the remaining ziti mixture.
- Pour the remaining 2 cups of sauce on top of the ziti.
- Sprinkle the remaining Romano and Parmesan cheeses on top.
- Cover the ziti with foil and place in the oven for 60 minutes (if you make a half batch, try cooking it for only 45 minutes).
- Uncover the ziti and continue baking it for 15 to 30 more minutes – the center of the ziti should be hot and the sauce will boil.
- Remove from the oven, cover with the foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
You will also need the following:
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information for this recipe has not been calculated.
