Baked Mostaccioli Vs Baked Ziti Recipes

BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Make the tomato sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until it has turned a deeper brick-red color, tinting the oil and onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them (including the juice) and the tomato purée to the pot, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, heavy cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Prepare the pasta: As the sauce cooks, heat oven to 425 degrees, and place a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove.
• Cook pasta until it's nearly al dente. (You want to undercook the pasta slightly, as it will continue to cook in the oven. A good way to do this is cook it 2 minutes less than you normally would if preparing it al dente.) Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and rinse with cool water; set aside while the tomato sauce finishes cooking.
• Once tomato sauce is done, stir in reserved pasta water.
• Place pasta in a large bowl and add 2 cups sauce. Stir to coat pasta evenly encouraging the sauce to go inside each tube.
• Spoon a bit of remaining sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish and top with 1/3 of the pasta. Spoon 1/3 of the remaining sauce on top, dollop with half the ricotta mixture and scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella on top of that. Repeat, beginning with the pasta, one more time. For the final layer, add the last 1/3 of pasta and the last of the sauce. Dot remaining mozzarella on top and shave a bit more Parmesan on top of that. Place baking dish on top of a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to catch any drips. Place in the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown and bubbling and the top has browned nicely, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Let cool slightly before eating with a big green leafy salad.

THE BEST BAKED MOSTACCIOLI

Steps:

• Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, a good pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage; cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until crumbled, golden brown and no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper; cook, stirring, until the garlic is tender and the tomato paste is thoroughly combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, parsley sprigs and 1/4 cup water and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cover partially with a lid and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the flavors have melded, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, stir together the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the Pecorino Romano, the egg, remaining 1/4 teaspoon oregano, pinch of salt and a couple grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl until smooth and combined; set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Once the meat sauce is finished cooking, remove the parsley sprigs and discard. Stir in the al dente mostaccioli until well coated.
• Transfer half of the pasta and sauce to the prepared baking dish, then spread the ricotta mixture on top in an even layer with a rubber spatula or small offset spatula. Top with the remaining pasta and sauce, followed by the mozzarella, then the remaining 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano.
• Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is bubbling at the edges, 10 to 15 minutes more. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.