Baked Ziti
Picture this: A bubbling casserole dish emerges from the oven, filling your kitchen with an irresistible aroma. As you scoop out a generous portion of creamy, cheesy Baked Ziti, it's hard to resist the anticipatory joy of that first, satisfying bite.
Servings: 8
Cost: $
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ziti Pasta
- 1-1.5 lb Italian Sausage
- 2 tbsp Branch and Vine Garlic Olive Oil
- 1 Onion
- 3 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 25 oz Marinara Sauce
- 14.5 oz Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tsp Dried Basil
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 2 Bay Leaves
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 8 oz Mozzarella shredded
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 cup Part Skim Mozzarella shredded
- Baguette
Instructions
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook ziti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In another pot or deep skillet with high sides, heat pan over medium heat. Brown sausage, breaking apart as it cooks. Drain if desired. Replace back in the pan. To the cooked sausage, add olive oil, onion, and garlic and saute until mostly tender, about 3 minutes
- Stir in diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, water, basil, oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings. Remove bay leaves
- Add cooked ziti to the sauce and stir to coat. Add in fresh mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Stir to melt slightly. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Add 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, cover with lightly greased foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Top with chopped parsley (optional) and serve hot