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 Faella dried pasta is the ability to retain its shape and al dente bite. The Faella fam takes 38 hours to complete the drying process and make sure that their Ziti have the perfect texture. Turning them into a mushy casserole would be a crime!
HOW TO: Parboil the Ziti in salted water for 5 minutes and then bake for only 15-20 minutes. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven, absorbing all the flavors.
THE FLAVORS: Our tomato of choice for a pasta bake is Maida tomato sauce. It has the ideal consistency and the right amount of salt + flavor from the basil. You can make this recipe vegetarian, or add in as much meat as you like. We’re partial to mini meatballs.
THE CRUNCH: For extra crispy edges, drizzle extra virgin olive oil on the final layer of cheese, before placing in the oven.