Baked Ziti With Pesto Recipes

ZITI WITH TOMATO-PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-low heat, mix together the pesto and basil tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer, and season with salt to taste. (You can also heat the sauce in a covered microwave-safe bowl: cook on high for one minute.)
• Place pasta in a large serving bowl. Toss with pesto-tomato sauce. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

MEATY ZITI WITH PESTO DOLLOP

Steps:

• For the meaty ziti: Place an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta.
• Heat a large braiser (about 5 quarts) over medium heat and add the olive oil. Crumble in the sausage. Cook, breaking up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, sliced fennel and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes. Stir to incorporate and allow the red pepper flakes to toast, about 1 minute. Add the wine. Increase the heat to reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
• Add both cans of tomatoes. Add 1 cup water to the smaller reserved can and add the tomato-water to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until thick and flavorful, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the ziti to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and add the pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat. Add almost all the shredded mozzarella (saving some for the top) and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Tear half the fresh mozzarella into smaller pieces and add to the pasta; fold the cheeses into the pasta. Top with the remaining shredded mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, then dot with torn pieces of the remaining fresh mozzarella.
• Bake, uncovered, until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden and crusty, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, make the pesto.
• For the pesto: Combine the basil, parsley, fennel fronds, almonds, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to make a coarse paste. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady stream to make a smooth pesto.
• Dollop the pesto on top of the hot pasta. Season with black pepper and finish with grated Parmesan.

BAKED ZITI I

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
• In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and add ziti. Cook the ziti until just al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes, and drain.
• Meanwhile, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a large skillet. Stir in the ricotta and basil leaves.
• Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 15-by-10-inch Pyrex baking dish. Layer half of the ziti on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella cubes and half of the provola. Pour 2 cups of the sauce over the cheese, and spread in an even layer. Top with the rest of the pasta, and spread 2 cups sauce over that layer of pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses, and dollop with the remaining 1/2 cup of sauce.
• Place the dish in the oven, and bake, uncovered, until browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting. (If you want to assemble this ahead, bake for 15 minutes covered with foil, then, when ready to serve, uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes.)

BAKED ZITI WITH PESTO RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Oil an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta for 7 minutes. It will be partially cooked. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again thoroughly. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat and cook until very thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Remove the bay leaf. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, about half the Parmesan, the pesto, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Put half of the cooked pasta into the prepared baking dish and top with about a third of the tomato sauce. Spread the ricotta mixture on the sauce in an even layer. Cover with the remaining pasta and then the remaining sauce. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan. Drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting.

LOW FAT PESTO BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• COOK pasta (your choice) in water for 10 minutes; will be partially cooked.
• NOTE: You do NOT need to add salt or oil if watching fat content; just stir and DRAIN.
• Finely dice red onion.
• Spray pan with oil and cook onions 5 minutes until soft, ADD diced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• ADD crushed tomatoes, black pepper and bay leaf.
• SIMMER 10 - 15 minutes until slightly thicker.
• Spray 8 x 13 inch baking dish.
• Place 1/2 pasta on bottom.
• In small bowl, mix ricotta, pesto, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and half of the parmesan cheese.
• Place mixture on top of pasta and 1/3 of tomatoe sauce mixture.
• TOP with rest of pasta.
• TOP with rest of sauce.
• TOP with rest of mozzerella and parm cheese.
• BAKE in 180 degree oven for about 35- 40 minutes covered.
• NOTE: Adjust garlic to YOUR taste; I used 2 tablespoons.
• NOTE: I also use the lowest fat cheese I can find.
• NOTE: Pesto can be store bought; look at fat content on labels as can vary significantly.
• NOTE: If you like your sauce slightly thicker, add 1 - 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.
• NOTE: Is a recipe that you might have to show control eating like me! 1 cup = my portion approximately.
• ENJOY!
• I served with rocket, tomato and feta cheese salad with balsamic vinegar.