The best baked ziti!
Hi all, thanks for visiting. This week is turning out to be less than optimal for cooking at home. However I hope to make up for the lack of a menu by sharing what has to be my all time favorite recipe, no lie. This baked ziti recipe first appeared in Bon Appetite magazine years ago, and I have never bothered making anyone else’s version of baked ziti since then. Try it and you will see why. I call it “lucky baked ziti” because I often make it for my husband before a big running race or triathlon. He usually crushes his races and I like to think that my ziti helps in a small way.
Originally this recipe called for pork sausage but I like turkey sausage more; you can use either one. I also put in about half as much spinach as was called for. If the leaves are very large you can tear or chop them a bit.
Baked Ziti with Spinach and Tomatoes
Serves 6
12oz turkey Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
28 oz can whole tomatoes or diced
1/4 cup prepared pesto (I like the Alessi brand)
3 cups ziti pasta, cooked
6 oz mozzarella, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
4 cups fresh spinach, long stems trimmed
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Brown the sausage in a large deep skillet, adding the onion and garlic to the pan when the sausage is about 2-3 minutes from being done. Pour in the tomatoes with their juices and break them up with a spoon (if you used whole ones). Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir the tomatoes up a bit more, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto. Taste and add salt if needed.
Cook the ziti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, then while the pot is hot, drop in the spinach then pour the drained pasta back on top. Pour the warm sausage-tomato sauce in too and let it sit for a minute to wilt the spinach. Stir well, then stir in the mozzarella cubes.
Put the ziti mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan on top. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Eat a bite and find out what heaven tastes like.
Originally this recipe called for pork sausage but I like turkey sausage more; you can use either one. I also put in about half as much spinach as was called for. If the leaves are very large you can tear or chop them a bit.
Baked Ziti with Spinach and Tomatoes
Serves 6
12oz turkey Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
28 oz can whole tomatoes or diced
1/4 cup prepared pesto (I like the Alessi brand)
3 cups ziti pasta, cooked
6 oz mozzarella, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
4 cups fresh spinach, long stems trimmed
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Brown the sausage in a large deep skillet, adding the onion and garlic to the pan when the sausage is about 2-3 minutes from being done. Pour in the tomatoes with their juices and break them up with a spoon (if you used whole ones). Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir the tomatoes up a bit more, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto. Taste and add salt if needed.
Cook the ziti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, then while the pot is hot, drop in the spinach then pour the drained pasta back on top. Pour the warm sausage-tomato sauce in too and let it sit for a minute to wilt the spinach. Stir well, then stir in the mozzarella cubes.
Put the ziti mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan on top. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Eat a bite and find out what heaven tastes like.
Comments
Post a Comment