Baked Ziti

This Baked Ziti is comfort food at its finest. Baked with sausage, tomato sauce and all kinds of gooey, yummy cheeses. So EASY and so good!

It’s February and there is no snow on my lawn.  I live in Utah folks. . . there is always snow on my lawn in February.  We are having strange weather this year.  I’m sure we will end up having snow in May or even June, that’s just how Mother Nature seems to roll here in Utah, it’s crazy!

This Baked Ziti is absolutely delicious.  I have always loved pasta. It’s filling, comforting and always seems to hit the spot.  This recipe comes from Pioneer Woman and is awesome.  Have I ever mentioned how much I love Pioneer Woman? When I grow up I want to be her.  I love her recipes and have yet to be disappointed with anything I’ve made of hers.

This pasta was completely fabulous! It’s cheesy, full of flavor and so hearty and filling. It makes enough to feed an army (which is ok by me because I think pasta is even better the second day) so you could even possibly split it into two 9×9 pans and freeze one.  We just enjoyed leftovers for a couple days and it tasted better each day we ate it.

Serve this up with some crusty french bread and a tossed salad . . . .Mmmm, this is my kind of meal!

Baked Ziti

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• Author: 5boysbaker.com
• Total Time: 80 minutes

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Ingredients

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• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can (28 Ounce Can) whole tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cans (14.5 Ounce) tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 16 ounces, Ziti or any tube pasta
• 1 tub (15 Ounce) whole milk ricotta cheese (I use cottage cheese)
• 1–1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 whole egg
• Fresh minced parsley

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Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for several minutes, or until starting to soften. Add Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off fat.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato juice, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. After that time, remove 3 to 4 cups of the sauce to a different bowl to cool down.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Cook the ziti until not quite al dente.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).
6. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps.) Add the cooled meat sauce and toss to combine.
7. 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 cheese. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta, the sauce, and the mozzarella.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
9. Garnish with fresh parsley.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Pasta

Recipe Source: Pioneer Woman