ISO How do you make baked ziti?

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This is how I do it:
Cook zita according to package place into a baking dish
add your favorite spegetti sauce
Top with Mozarella cheese
baked 350 to all is heated thru.

I have also added cooked ground or link hot sauage and also cooked ground beef. You can add mushroom , peppers, onion etc.
 
I don't cook the ziti, but put it in a roaster/casserole pan with the sauce and about a half of a cup of water mixed in. From there, any add ins you like are also mixed in: ricotta clumps, portabellas, peppers, meat, etc. I cover and bake for 15min. @ 425, reducing heat to 375 for another 45 minutes (remove and stir about 1/2 way through). At the end of that full hour, take the foil/cover off, top with cheese, bake another 15 minutes till cheese melts or browns, depending on what you like.
 
My sis makes a baked ziti like a lasagna mixed up... par cook the ziti, little meatballs, and or sweet sausage slices, mozarella and parmesan cheeses, marinara or arabiata sauce fresh basil chiffonade, top with cheese bake 350 1 hr (covered for 45 min)... it's good!
 
Pretty much what everyone else does, I do as well. I boil the ziti with some EVOO about a minute or 2 less than what the package suggest (prevents ziti from getting mushy when you bake it). Once drained, put back in the pot, add the sauce, about 1cup of ricotta, meat &/or anything else you want to add THEN the mozzarella (adding last keeps it from getting clumpy). Put everything in a 9x13 baking dish & top with more mozzarella! :-p Cover loosely with foil & bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Remove cover & broil the top until the cheese starts to brown. YUM-O! :chef:
 
Cooked ziti - al dente
Pomodoro or marinara sauce
Ricotta blend - Ricotta cheese mixed with 1 raw egg per pound of cheese and chopped fresh parsley
Grated parmigiano cheese
Mozzarella cheese.

Blend the ziti with the sauce. Place into a greased baking dish. Dollop the ricotta blend into the pasta, but don't stir it in. Leave noticable dollops. Top with additional sauce, grated cheese. Bake 45 minutes, covered. Uncover, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, bake until melted and golden.
 
Hamm.....I’ve never made baked ziti before, but it sounds simple enough and rather good. It actually reminds me of “spaghetti casserole”. When ever I make spaghetti with meat sauce (not meatballs), the next day, I’ll often mix the leftover sauce, noodles, some more mushrooms, and cheese into a baking dish and bake it. Sometimes I add corn to it as well.

Anyone else ever recycle spaghetti and sauce this way?

VeraBlue – your sig is from that Midnight Oil song isn't it? I’ve got that tune stuck in my head now!
 
When you asked about baked ziti, I took it to mean the tomato-y kind w mozzarella. You can also make it with a variety of cheeses and topped (or not) with bread crumbs (like mac 'n cheese). I prepare mine similar to what has aready been described, except sometimes I add chopped spinach. If you want to get fancier, add wine to the tomato sauce or saute some garlic and onions and add it to the mixture or sauce w ground beef or sausage. Another is to mix ricotta and mozzarella. The more cheese the better. :LOL:
 
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keltin said:
Hamm.....I’ve never made baked ziti before, but it sounds simple enough and rather good. It actually reminds me of “spaghetti casserole”. When ever I make spaghetti with meat sauce (not meatballs), the next day, I’ll often mix the leftover sauce, noodles, some more mushrooms, and cheese into a baking dish and bake it. Sometimes I add corn to it as well.

Anyone else ever recycle spaghetti and sauce this way?

VeraBlue – your sig is from that Midnight Oil song isn't it? I’ve got that tune stuck in my head now!

It is...and while it was originally meant to shine light on the plight of the aborigines whose land was stolen...I use it to remind people that it's their responsibility to be aware of whats happening around them...and speak up. The world of 'me me and mine' is over. Wake up before it's too late.
 
VeraBlue said:
It is...and while it was originally meant to shine light on the plight of the aborigines whose land was stolen...I use it to remind people that it's their responsibility to be aware of whats happening around them...and speak up. The world of 'me me and mine' is over. Wake up before it's too late.

Nice POV, and what better way to get it across than with a song that gets stuck in your head! :)

BTW – You seem familiar…….did you used to frequent Delphi Forums? In particular, a forum called “Believers, Unbelievers, Ex-Believers” (BUE)?
 
This is how I make baked ziti - been making it this way for years

1 box of ziti, cook following package instructions
1 large jar of your favorite marinara
1/2 c sour cream
2 c shredded moz cheese
1/2 lb hamburger
1 -2 italian sausage links
1 onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced

Preheat oven to 375. Cook ziti according to package instructions. Meanwhile, brown hamburger and sausages with onions and garlic, drain grease. Add marinara sauce and simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes.

drain ziti. Spray deep casserole dish with Pam spray. Put about 1 cup sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish, put half of the ziti in the pan. Next spread all of the sour cream and half of the mozerella over.
Next place half of the remaining sauce over the cheese. Next top with all of the remaining ziti, followed by all of the sauce. Top with remaining cheese.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and a few bits of fresh basil.
cover and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
 
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