Creamy Baked Ziti Recipe 455 Recipes

CREAMY BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375ºF.
• Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt. Remove pasta from pan; drain.
• Add pasta sauce, tomatoes and cream cheese to same pan; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is blended, stirring frequently. Return pasta to pan; mix well.
• Layer half the pasta mixture in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover with layers of sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella and remaining pasta mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella; sprinkle with Parmesan.
• Bake 20 min. or until heated through.

BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cook the pasta: Heat a large pot of salted water (for every 2 quarts of water, one tablespoon of salt) to a strong boil. Add the pasta and cook at a rolling boil, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente-edible but still a little firm to the bite. Drain the pasta through a colander. Toss with a little olive oil so the pasta does not stick together while you make the sauce.
• Brown the meat: While the water is heating in the previous step, start on the sauce. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering hot, add the bulk sausage or ground meat. Break up any large chunks of sausage as it cooks. Brown well. Don't stir that often or it will be more difficult for the meat to brown. If you are using ground beef or pork instead of sausage, sprinkle with a little salt.

EXTRA CHEESY BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Combine canned tomatoes and their juices, basil, garlic, salt, pepper and the mascarpone cheese in a blender or food processor. (A food mill will also work.) Blend until the basil and garlic are chopped into tiny bits and the sauce is well mixed. Taste and adjust with additional salt as needed. Set aside.
• Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (if your oven runs hot, reduce this to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.)
• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the pasta, and then cook for about half of the recommended cook time on the package (5 or 6 minutes). Save 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and then place it back into the pot. Undercooking the pasta makes sure that it does not overcook when baked with the sauce in the oven.
• In a medium bowl, toss the mozzarella, Fontina and Pecorino Romano cheese together.
• Add the sauce, 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and three-quarters of the shredded cheese mix to the pot with pasta. Stir well. The mixture should look a bit thin, if it seems thick, add a splash more of the reserved pasta water.
• Transfer the ziti mixture to a large baking dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese mix. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and golden brown on top. Allow the baked ziti to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

CREAMY BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place tomatoes in a food processor and puree until smooth.
• In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes, and cook until golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pureed tomatoes. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce heat to medium and cook at a rapid simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a pot of generously salted boiling water, cook pasta 4 minutes less than according to package instructions (about 6 minutes total). Drain into a colander and rinse under cold water until cool, then drain again. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Stir cream cheese into sauce until melted, then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour 1 cup sauce into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; spread into an even layer. Scatter half of mozzarella over sauce. Add 3 cups sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan to bowl of pasta; toss to coat. Add pasta mixture to the baking dish in an even layer. Top with remaining sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake on a rack in the top third position until cheese is melted, 10 minutes. Switch oven to broiler setting; broil until cheese is bubbly and browned in places, about 3 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes; serve.

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.