Baked Ziti – 101 Cookbooks

I found a really implausible model of baked ziti in 2017 after I began cooking from Colu Henry’s Again Pocket Pasta. Large, hearty, family-style pastas are an ideal love of mine, however my baked ziti makes an attempt have been at all times simply so-so. I struggled with general cohesiveness, and the ricotta combination at all times tended to bake up somewhat drier than I hoped. Colu’s method was a game-changer. She recommends a 50/50 mix of ricotta and creme fraîche in her recipe – it retains every thing silky and wealthy, and I’ve by no means appeared again. And yep, bitter cream may even work in a pinch.

What Makes Nice Baked Ziti?

If you wish to make one of the best baked ziti, give attention to two issues: how lengthy you cook dinner the pasta, and nailing an ideal sauce. The sauce is king right here. You wish to use good, flavorful tomatoes, and also you wish to let every thing simmer down right into a thick, chunky, vibrant purple sauce. A little bit of endurance is essential. See the sauce within the picture beneath? Hold simmering. On the pasta entrance, keep away from over-cooking within the preliminary stage, the boil. The ziti will proceed cooking because the pasta bakes – you wish to arrive on the end line with good pasta. In the event you overcook through the preliminary boil, the pasta will turn out to be too smooth and unstructured.

Baked Ziti: The Elements

• Dried ziti pasta: Use a good-quality dried pasta right here. Ziti is the namesake form to make use of, however penne is a legit different and simpler to search out tbh. For a little bit of added diet, discover complete wheat pastas, or pasta made with lentils or chickpeas. As I’ve talked about in earlier pasta recipes, a without end favourite of mine is the Monograno Felicetti Farro Penne Rigate. You’ll be able to even make baked ziti gluten-free by swapping in one of many GF pastas.
• Child spinach: One observe right here, in case your child spinach has lengthy thick stems, go forward and snap the most important offenders off. Other than that I don’t trouble chopping or fussing, however you may in the event you like.
• Canned tomatoes: Search for good-quality diced canned tomatoes. Word that you just’ll want each a 28-ounce *and* a 14-ounce can. I are inclined to seize fire-roasted for this recipe, however you don’t must!
  
  
• Sausage: I not often purchase or cook dinner with pretend meat, however that is one recipe the place I take advantage of Unimaginable sausage for the meat part. It simply helps verify all of the bins for an enormous, family-style baked ziti that everybody can get on board with. One other different is to make use of this mushroom ragù as your sauce, instead of the purple sauce with sausage posted beneath. 
• Cheeses: Three cheese are in play right here. Use contemporary mozzarella if doable – it’ll sometimes be in liquid, and any dimension ball is ok – you’ll be tearing it into smaller items. For the grated cheese Colu recommends Pecorino Romano, however in the event you are inclined to preserve Parmesan available, go forward and use that – freshly grated. And the ricotta performs one other key roll right here, so use one you’d take pleasure in consuming straight – on a cracker or slice of toast.
  
  
• Creme fraîche: The wildcard on this baked ziti is the addition of creme fraîche. To make your individual, you may add 1 tablespoon of cultured buttermilk or yogurt to a cup of heavy cream. Stir nicely, cowl with a clear dishtowel, and permit to take a seat out in your counter for 12 hours or so, till it thickens. Refrigerate till prepared to make use of. Alternately, you should use bitter cream right here. It’s tangier, however in a great way!

Variations

Listed below are some favourite variations on this baked ziti that I’ve cooked over time.

• Make it Spicy: To make this baked ziti feisty and spicy, add a little bit of spicy Calabrian pepper paste (the one I purchase most is known as Bomba di Calabria) to the sauce after including the spinach. Go simple, a few of these pastes are wildly spicy. But in addition go stronger than you may in any other case as a result of the sauce will probably be lower with all that dairy. Style and modify.
• Make it Gluten Free: You can also make this recipe gluten-free by utilizing GF pasta instead of conventional pasta. On the time I’m scripting this the Unimaginable sausage is GF, however double verify – in case you’re utilizing one other model or their product modifications.
• Baked Ziti with Mushrooms: I do a model of this baked ziti utilizing this mushroom ragù, and it’s equally implausible. Principally, fill a 12-inch skillet to 1/2-inch or so beneath the rim, and stir within the 5 ounces or spinach. Then proceed with the recipe as written. Principally, don’t skimp on the quantity of sauce you’re utilizing. 
• Toss in Some Wildcards: Lots of instances when making baked ziti, I’ll toss components in on a whim. No matter I’ve at hand. A couple of of the extra profitable additions embrace the next: torn olives, a number of lemon or orange zest, additional spinach or herbs, deeply caramelized onions, goat cheese instead of half the mozzarella.

Baked Ziti: Make Forward Ideas

This recipe makes a giant pan of baked ziti. We sometimes eat half and freeze half leading to simple meals within the coming weeks. The easiest way I’ve discovered to freeze baked ziti is to begin by refrigerating your baked ziti till it is rather chilly. This makes it simple to slice into exact, particular person parts. Organize the parts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze till stable. Switch to freezer luggage for as much as 6 weeks. Reheat, lined in foil, on a baking sheet (or in baking pan), in a 375F oven till bubbly and scorching all through.

Again Pocket Pasta & Colu

Colu’s archives are a gold-mine of low raise, fabulous meals. Within the years since Again Pocket Pasta was revealed, she additionally wrote Colu Cooks: Simple Fancy Meals. You want somebody like Colu Henry in your life. When Again Pocket Pasta was revealed, I wrote, “She’s a type of trendy buddies who will let you know the place to attain the prettiest attire, allow you to e book one of the best journey locations, and fortunately level you towards your subsequent good learn.” She’s the queen of bringing easy fashion to the weeknight dinner desk and her books are brimming with informal recipes achievable with little greater than a fairly stocked pantry and a little bit of seasonal aptitude. You’ll be able to observe her right here and right here.

Extra Pasta Recipes

101 Cookbooks Membership

Premium Advert-Free membership consists of:
-Advert-free content material
-Print-friendly recipes
–Spice / Herb / Flower / Zest recipe assortment PDF
–Weeknight Categorical recipe assortment PDF
-Shock bonuses all year long