Classic Baked Ziti
American-Italian food is categorized by lots of sauce, loads of cheese, and massive portion sizes. In my mind, you should never be able to finish a bowl of pasta when dining out in a restaurant. That’s the standard I’ve set for myself hailing from the nation’s capital of “red sauce” joints, and I’m not budging. As we all know, one of the most famous comfort food meals in these establishments is baked ziti, a pasta casserole made with a Napolitana style tomato sauce, known simply as marinara.
My recipe calls for the addition of ground beef, landing this sauce somewhere between a marinara and a Bolognese, but since it’s not quite either, I’m just going to say it’s gravy and call it a day. Trying to navigate the anal-retentive world of Italian sauce clarification gives me a headache!
My kind of still life
Baked ziti is typically served at home as a Sunday meal or as a holiday dinner. Growing up, my Grandparents would make baked ziti during Christmas or New Years’. It was a special occasion pasta dish in my household. I always associate it with big family events where we perpetually alternate between baked ziti and lasagna without fail. Cosi va il mondo!
Baked ziti is surprisingly simple to make and much easier to assemble than lasagna. This dish is created by layering home-cooked sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, Pecorino-Romano cheese, and of course, pasta. Everyone has their personal take on this meal, with some adding in provolone, using sausage instead of beef, or throwing in vegetables like eggplant and spinach. As always, I encourage you to add your spin and favorite ingredients to the recipes that you enjoy. Going traditional is fun as a learning experience, but making meals your own is where I find the real joy in cooking.
I like to add a soffritto to the sauce because it softens the acidity of the tomatoes
Crushin’ and dumpin’
Pro tip: throw in the parsley and basil at the last minute so they retain their flavors
The closest version of baked ziti in Italy is called Pasta al Forno, which translates to “at the oven.” They use all different pasta types for al forno dishes in Italy, like anelletti or rigatoni. Still, in America, you’ll generally find ziti or penne on the menu in baked pasta dishes because, well, we’re basic like that.
For this recipe, we’re going with ziti because it’s in the name, and it also holds onto the sauce well. For those of you unfamiliar, ziti is a smooth, medium-sized tubular pasta with evenly cut edges. If you don’t have ziti, I would choose to use rigatoni or penne because they also trap sauce perfectly inside their shapes, but I wouldn’t use a longer cut of pasta like spaghetti or linguine because the gravy might slide off.
Combine the ricotta with the ziti and stir
Then pour two ladles full of gravy into the pot
Mix all the ingredients until well combined
When making baked ziti, you should always cook the pasta al dente, removing the ziti when it’s chewy and firm because the pasta will continue to cook further in the oven. If you don’t do this, you run the risk of your ziti getting mushy, and that’s non è buono. After you strain the pasta, pour it back into the pot and, while it’s still hot, add in the ricotta and two ladles full of gravy. If you wait for the ziti to cool before completing this step, it will stick together, and “you don’t want no part of that @#$%, Dewey.”
Probably one of the best scenes in the entire movie
What’s fantastic about baked ziti is that you can prepare it ahead of time and freeze it for later. This recipe calls for way more food than you can eat solo, so if you live alone or don’t like sharing, I recommend storing your leftovers, so you don’t waste any food. Baked ziti will last for up to 2-3 months in the freezer. All you have to do is cook everything in advance, let the pasta cool, place it into an air-tight container, or wrap it in tin foil and seal it inside freezer-safe bags. Sure, the pasta won’t be as firm when you reheat it, but it will still taste just as delicious. You don’t even have to thaw it before you throw it into the oven, but if you decide to defrost, transfer the baked ziti to the refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking at 350 degrees.
Step one: Cover the bottom in gravy and sprinkle with Pecorino-Romano
Step two: Layer on the pasta
Step three: Set down the fresh mozzarella
Step four: Gravy and repeat
Tomato-based sauces on pasta are acidic, so your wine selection needs to match that acidity not only to balance out the flavors but to make sure the wine doesn’t get over-powered by the meal or vice versa. A medium-bodied red wine, such as Primitivo, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, and Sangiovese, hold their own against the acidity of the baked ziti. Since there’s added richness in the sauce thanks to the addition of red meat and cheese, I think you can go even bolder and pair it with a full-bodied red wine, like Nero d’Avola, Barbera, or Cabernet Sauvignon.
The cheese pull is the forever money shot
Layering Ingredients
1 lb ziti
1lb fresh mozzarella, or 2 cups of shredded mozzarella (1 1/2 lbs or 3 cups if you like it extra cheesy)
10 oz ricotta
1/3 cup of grated Pecorino-Romano
Gravy Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
2 28oz cans of peeled tomatoes, crushed
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
Half of a small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes
A handful of fresh basil
A handful of fresh parsley
Cooking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Chop your vegetables into a soffritto and slice your fresh mozzarella, setting the cheese aside for later
Oil the bottom of a large pot and drop in the soffritto, sautéeing for 2 minutes on medium-high heat
Add in the ground beef, cooking until just browned for about 5 minutes
Crush the tomatoes and pour them into the pot before adding in the salt and red pepper flakes. Cover and lower the temperature to low, stirring occasionally. Cook for an hour, adding in the parsley and basil 5 minutes before you take it off the stove
In a separate pot, salt the water and bring to boil, adding in the pasta to cook al dente for around 8 minutes or until chewy
Strain the pasta and return to the pot, immediately adding in the ricotta and two ladles full of gravy, mixing well
Cover the bottom of a baking dish or tray with the gravy, sprinkling grated Pecorino-Romano onto it, and then layering the pasta on top. Strategically place the slices of fresh mozzarella onto the pasta and repeat
Place a foil-covered tray or baking dish in the center of the oven and cook for 30 minutes, removing the foil cover halfway through the process, so the cheese doesn’t stick to it. If you like the edges crispy, cook for an additional 5-10 minutes
Remove the dish from the oven and let the pasta rest for 5 minutes before serving
