Baked Ziti


  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • Two 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes with basil
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, taste and reseason
  • 1 pound ziti or penne
  • 4 cups cheese blend, grated
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 
  • 8 ounces sour cream
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for top

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and sautè until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove 3 to 4 cups of the cooked sauce to a bowl to cool down. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Cook the ziti until not quite al dente.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, parsley, eggs and some salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).

Drain the pasta, cool slightly. Mix in the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps). Add the cooled reserved meat sauce and toss to combine.

Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta and the remaining sauce and mozzarella.

Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before sprinkling with parsley. 

Popular posts from this blog

Dave's Killer Bread (Sourdough)

250g whole wheat flour 250g bread flour 100g starter 300g water 40g honey 32g olive oil 8g salt 100g Mixed seeds & nuts (pumpkin, sunflower, chia, everything bagel seasoning, rolled oats, pistachios, etc) 25g Mixed seeds for the top of the loaf (after shaping spritz with water and roll in the remaining seeds)
Read more

Bim’s Sourdough Pizza Crust

Image
1000 g. AP flour  200 g. Active starter  650-680 g. Water 50 g. Olive oil  20 g. Salt  30 g. Sugar (or Honey) In the large bowl mix everything together and rest for 30 minutes then stretch and fold 3 sets with rests for 20 minutes, then use coil fold every 20 minutes for another 3 sets. Proofing the dough for 2-4 hours in controlled temperature.  After 2-3 hours the dough will be doubled in size, separate them into 6 small balls (300 g), pre-shape into rounds, and rest for 15 minutes then give a final shape.  Place rounds in deli containers brushed with olive oil, cover with lids (make sure the lids also get oil). Rest the dough in the fridge over night or put in the freezer up to 2 months. Bim’s Sourdough Best Pizza 2000 g. Bread flour  400 g. Sourdough starter  1500 g. Water  120 g. Olive oil 120g. Sugar  40 g. Salt Mix everything together well and follow with 4 sets of stretch and fold every 30 minutes, proof the dough another ~3 hour...
Read more

Spiced Cocktail Nuts

Image
Union Square Cafe variation: 4 cups (~550 g) mixed nuts or seeds, raw, unsalted  (e.g. peanuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews) 2 Tablespoons butter 2 Tablespoons brown sugar 3 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped  2 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon cayenne  Heat oven to 350° . Spread nuts on a tray and toast for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. While they’re toasting, whisk butter, rosemary, cayenne, sugar and salt in the bottom of a large bowl. When nuts are toasted, add them to bowl and stir to evenly coat. Spread back on tray and toast for another 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then serve warm in bowls. Nuts are also good at room temperature, and keep for weeks in airtight jars.
Read more