There has to be a million baked ziti recipes out there, so why do you need another one? Answer: too many recipes overcook the pasta! If there’s one thing we know about pasta al forno, it’s that you never want it overcooked. The beauty of high quality dried pasta is its ability to retain its shape and al dente bite throughout cooking. That’s why we only parboil the Ziti for 5 minutes (half their normal cooking time) and then bake the assembled dish for only 15-20 minutes. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven, absorbing that flavorful Maida tomato sauce. You really don’t need to go any longer, mushy pasta is a crime when you have Pasta Faella in your pantry.
You can make this recipe vegetarian, or add in as much meat as you like. We’re partial to mini meatballs, but some of you love crumbled sausage and even hard-boiled eggs.
SERVES: 4-6
TIME: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- Ziti Faella, 325g
- Coarse Sea Salt, to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- Maida tomato sauce, 1 jar (540ml / 19oz)
- Mozzarella, 300g, roughly torn
- Vacche Rosse Cheese, 50g, finely grated
Optional:
- Sausage, 200g, crumbled and crisped in a pan
- Mini meatballs, as many as you like!
- Ricotta cheese, 360g
- Hard-boiled eggs, 2-4
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C
- Cook the tomato sauce in a large pan over medium heat until it starts concentrating and lightly caramelizing (about 10 mins).
- Meanwhile, cook the Ziti in plenty of salted boiling water for 5 minutes then drain, reserving a cup or so of pasta water.
- Swirl a few spoonfuls of passata on the bottom of your casserole dish.
- In a bowl, combine the parboiled Ziti with the passata, adding just a splash of pasta water if needed. If using ricotta or other fresh cheese, mix it in with the Ziti until creamy.
- Build your casserole in layers: Pour half of the Ziti into the casserole pan and top with half of your optional fillings, half the mozzarella, and half the Vacche Rosse Cheese. Repeat a second layer with the remaining ingredients.
- For an extra crunchy topping, drizzle extra virgin olive oil on the final layer of Vacche Rosse Cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until bubbly and crisp.
- Let rest at least 15 minutes before serving, the longer the better.
