I found a really improbable model of baked ziti in 2017 after I began cooking from Colu Henry’s Again Pocket Pasta. Massive, hearty, family-style pastas are a fantastic love of mine, however my baked ziti makes an attempt had been all the time simply so-so. I struggled with general cohesiveness, and the ricotta combination all the time tended to bake up somewhat drier than I hoped. Colu’s method was a game-changer. She recommends a 50/50 mix of ricotta and creme fraîche in her recipe – it retains all the pieces silky and wealthy, and I’ve by no means regarded again. And yep, bitter cream will even work in a pinch.
What Makes Nice Baked Ziti?
If you wish to make the most effective baked ziti, deal with two issues: how lengthy you prepare dinner the pasta, and the sauce. The sauce is king right here. You wish to use good, flavorful tomatoes, and also you wish to let all the pieces simmer down right into a thick, chunky, vibrant pink sauce. A little bit of endurance is vital. See the sauce within the photograph under? Maintain simmering. On the pasta entrance, keep away from over-cooking within the preliminary stage, the boil. The ziti will proceed cooking because the pasta bakes – you wish to arrive on the end line with excellent pasta. For those who overcook in the course of the preliminary boil, the pasta will turn into too tender and unstructured.
Baked Ziti: The Elements
- Dried ziti pasta: Use a good-quality dried pasta right here. Ziti is the namesake form to make use of, however penne is a legit various and simpler to search out tbh. For a little bit of added diet, discover complete wheat pastas, or pasta made with lentils or chickpeas. As I’ve talked about in earlier pasta recipes, a endlessly favourite of mine is the Monograno Felicetti Farro Penne Rigate. You possibly can even make baked ziti gluten-free by swapping in one of many GF pastas.
- Child spinach: One be aware right here, in case your child spinach has lengthy thick stems, go forward and snap the largest offenders off. Other than that I don’t hassle chopping or fussing.
- Canned tomatoes: Search for good-quality diced canned tomatoes. Observe that you simply’ll want each a 28-ounce *and* a 14-ounce can. I are likely to seize fire-roasted for this recipe, however you don’t must!
- Sausage: I not often purchase or prepare dinner with pretend meat, however that is one recipe the place I take advantage of Not possible sausage for the meat element. It simply helps examine all of the packing containers for a giant, family-style baked ziti that everybody can get on board with. One other various is to make use of this mushroom ragù as your sauce, rather than the pink sauce with sausage posted under.
- Cheeses: Three cheese are in play right here. Use contemporary mozzarella if attainable. It’ll sometimes be in liquid, and any dimension is ok – you’ll be tearing it into smaller items. For the grated cheese Colu recommends Pecorino Romano, however if you happen to are likely to maintain Parmesan readily available, go forward and use that – freshly grated. And the ricotta performs one other key roll right here, so use one you’d take pleasure in consuming straight – on a cracker or slice of toast.
- Creme fraîche: The wildcard on this baked ziti is the addition of creme fraîche. To make your personal, you may add 1 tablespoon of cultured buttermilk or yogurt to a cup of heavy cream. Stir properly, cowl with a clear dishtowel, and permit to take a seat out in your counter for 12 hours or so, till it thickens. Refrigerate till prepared to make use of. Alternately, you should utilize bitter cream right here. It’s tangier, however in a great way!
Variations
Listed below are some favourite variations on this baked ziti that I’ve cooked through the years.
- Make it Spicy: To make this baked ziti feisty and spicy, add a little bit of spicy Calabrian pepper paste (the one I purchase most is known as Bomba di Calabria) to the sauce after including the spinach. Go straightforward, a few of these pastes are wildly spicy. But additionally go stronger than you may in any other case as a result of the sauce can be lower with all that dairy. Style and regulate.
- Make it Gluten Free: You can also make this recipe gluten-free by utilizing GF pasta rather than conventional pasta. On the time I’m penning this the Not possible sausage is GF, however double examine – in case you’re utilizing one other model or their product adjustments.
- Baked Ziti with Mushrooms: I do a model of this baked ziti utilizing this mushroom ragù, and it’s equally improbable. Mainly, fill a 12-inch skillet to 1/2-inch or so under the rim, and stir within the 5 ounces or spinach. Then proceed with the recipe as written. Mainly, don’t skimp on the quantity of sauce you’re utilizing. https://www.101cookbooks.com/mushroom-ragu/
- Toss in Some Wildcards: A number of occasions when making baked ziti, I’ll toss substances in on a whim. No matter I’ve at hand. A couple of of the extra profitable additions embrace the next: torn olives, a number of lemon or orange zest, additional spinach or herbs, deeply caramelized onions, goat cheese rather than half the mozzarella.
Baked Ziti: Make Forward Ideas
This recipe makes a massive pan of baked ziti. We sometimes eat half and freeze half leading to straightforward meals within the coming weeks. One of the simplest ways I’ve discovered to freeze baked ziti is to start out by refrigerating your baked ziti till it is extremely chilly. This makes it straightforward to slice into exact, particular person parts. Prepare the parts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze till strong. Switch to freezer luggage for as much as 6 weeks. Reheat, coated in foil, on a baking sheet (or in baking pan), in a 375F oven till bubbly and scorching all through.
Again Pocket Pasta & Colu
Colu’s archives are a gold-mine of low carry, fabulous meals. Within the years since Again Pocket Pasta was printed, she additionally wrote Colu Cooks: Simple Fancy Meals. You want somebody like Colu Henry in your life. When Again Pocket Pasta was printed, I wrote, “She’s a kind of fashionable pals who will inform you the place to attain the prettiest attire, assist you ebook the most effective journey locations, and fortunately level you towards your subsequent good learn.” She’s the queen of bringing easy fashion to the weeknight dinner desk and her books are brimming with informal recipes achievable with little greater than a fairly stocked pantry and a little bit of seasonal aptitude. You possibly can observe her right here and right here.
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