Baked Ziti - Tomato-Basil and White Bolognese Time for a party!
These two versions of baked Ziti are perfect for a dinner party, not only are they made two days ahead, but one is also meatless and the other is based on my white Bolognese which is a family and friends favorite. These two dishes require a Dutch oven or heavy pot, some bowls, 9x13 casserole dishes. You would also need to order porcini mushroom bouillon cubes from Amazon if you don’t have a good Italian market close by. I would not consider these exactly quick and easy to make. However, the quick and easy come with giving a party where everything is done ahead. The Ziti’s can be made two days ahead and refrigerated until an hour before your party which means you have a clean kitchen and more time to enjoy your guests.
Baked Ziti This can be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated. You can assemble the dish but don’t bake until ready to serve.
1-pound ricotta2 large eggs, lightly beaten1.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese Table salt (for pasta water and to season) 1 pound ziti, or other short, tubular pasta2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons garlic, cloves, minced or puree1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes2 teaspoon dried oregano¼ cup red wine¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper¾ cup minced fresh basil leaves1 teaspoon brown sugar2 teaspoons ground black pepper1 teaspoon cornstarch1 cup heavy cream1 cup grated low moisture mozzarella8 ounces mozzarella log (pre sliced or pearls)
First whisk ricotta cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander.
2. Heat oil and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes, wine, crushed red pepper and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in basil and sugar, season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl; transfer mixture to Dutch oven set over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add ricotta cheese mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.
4. Transfer ricotta cheese and pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish and spread the rest of the tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Top with ½ cup parmesan and the top with mozzarella slices or pearls. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.
White Bolognese Baked ZitiThis can be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated. You can assemble the dish but don’t bake until ready to serve.
1-pound ricotta or whole milk cottage cheese 2 large eggs, lightly beaten1.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons salt for pasta water, the porcini mushroom cubes are salty so be careful with salt) 1 pound ziti 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 cup diced onion 1 lb. hot Italian sausage (removed from casing)1 lb. ground beef, lean 1 tablespoon fennel seeds¼ cup Pernod 1 tablespoon garlic, cloves, minced or puree2 teaspoon dried oregano1/2 cup white wine4 porcini mushroom bouillon cubes (I order from Amazon)¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper¾ cup julienned fresh basil leaves.5-pound sliced mushrooms2 teaspoons ground black pepper1 teaspoon cornstarch1 cup heavy cream1 cup grated low moisture mozzarella8 ounces mozzarella log (pre sliced or pearls)
First - whisk ricotta cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander.
2. In Dutch oven over medium heat, add sausage, break apart as you brown it, once cooked through, add ground beef, and cook through, while browning add fennel seeds. Once cooked pour into a colander to drain off excess fat. In same Dutch oven add oil over medium heat, the add diced onion, cook until soft about 5-6 minutes, add Pernod, garlic, porcini bouillon cubes, white wine, oregano, crushed red pepper and half the basil. Cook for 3-4 minutes, add meat back into Dutch oven and cook for 5-6 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper. Then pour Bolognese mixture back into metal bowl
3. Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl; transfer mixture to Dutch oven set over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add ricotta cheese mixture, 1 cup half the white Bolognese meat mixture and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.
4. Transfer pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish and spread the rest of the meat sauce evenly over pasta. Top with ½ cup parmesan and the top with mozzarella slices or pearls. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.
Baked Ziti This can be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated. You can assemble the dish but don’t bake until ready to serve.
1-pound ricotta2 large eggs, lightly beaten1.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese Table salt (for pasta water and to season) 1 pound ziti, or other short, tubular pasta2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons garlic, cloves, minced or puree1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes2 teaspoon dried oregano¼ cup red wine¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper¾ cup minced fresh basil leaves1 teaspoon brown sugar2 teaspoons ground black pepper1 teaspoon cornstarch1 cup heavy cream1 cup grated low moisture mozzarella8 ounces mozzarella log (pre sliced or pearls)
First whisk ricotta cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander.
2. Heat oil and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes, wine, crushed red pepper and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in basil and sugar, season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl; transfer mixture to Dutch oven set over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add ricotta cheese mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.
4. Transfer ricotta cheese and pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish and spread the rest of the tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Top with ½ cup parmesan and the top with mozzarella slices or pearls. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.
White Bolognese Baked ZitiThis can be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated. You can assemble the dish but don’t bake until ready to serve.
1-pound ricotta or whole milk cottage cheese 2 large eggs, lightly beaten1.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons salt for pasta water, the porcini mushroom cubes are salty so be careful with salt) 1 pound ziti 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 cup diced onion 1 lb. hot Italian sausage (removed from casing)1 lb. ground beef, lean 1 tablespoon fennel seeds¼ cup Pernod 1 tablespoon garlic, cloves, minced or puree2 teaspoon dried oregano1/2 cup white wine4 porcini mushroom bouillon cubes (I order from Amazon)¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper¾ cup julienned fresh basil leaves.5-pound sliced mushrooms2 teaspoons ground black pepper1 teaspoon cornstarch1 cup heavy cream1 cup grated low moisture mozzarella8 ounces mozzarella log (pre sliced or pearls)
First - whisk ricotta cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander.
2. In Dutch oven over medium heat, add sausage, break apart as you brown it, once cooked through, add ground beef, and cook through, while browning add fennel seeds. Once cooked pour into a colander to drain off excess fat. In same Dutch oven add oil over medium heat, the add diced onion, cook until soft about 5-6 minutes, add Pernod, garlic, porcini bouillon cubes, white wine, oregano, crushed red pepper and half the basil. Cook for 3-4 minutes, add meat back into Dutch oven and cook for 5-6 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper. Then pour Bolognese mixture back into metal bowl
3. Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl; transfer mixture to Dutch oven set over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add ricotta cheese mixture, 1 cup half the white Bolognese meat mixture and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.
4. Transfer pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish and spread the rest of the meat sauce evenly over pasta. Top with ½ cup parmesan and the top with mozzarella slices or pearls. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.