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a wide baking dish of baked ziti with golden bubbly cheese and a scoop lifted out showing layers of saucy pasta and ricotta, fresh basil on top, on a marble counter, soft natural light, shallow depth of field, landscape orientation

Baked Ziti

Ziti coated in marinara and ricotta, then layered with mozzarella and baked until golden and bubbling.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ziti pasta
  • 1 lb ground Italian sausage
  • 3 cups marinara sauce
  • 15 oz ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil chopped

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and cook the ziti until just shy of al dente, then drain.
  2. Brown the Italian sausage with the garlic in a skillet, then stir in the marinara sauce.
  3. Mix the ricotta with the egg, Parmesan, and basil in a bowl.
  4. Combine the cooked ziti with the meat sauce, then fold in the ricotta mixture.
  5. Spread half in a baking dish, layer with mozzarella, then top with the rest and more mozzarella.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling and golden, then rest before serving.

Notes

Let it sit 10 minutes after baking so the slices hold together.