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Baked ziti
Stroller Envy

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Resting 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz dried ziti
  • 1 lb Italian sausage casings removed
  • 1 yellow onion small, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 24 oz marinara sauce one jar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella divided
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil for the baking dish
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt for the pasta water; most is drained away

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 375°F. Oil a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt.
  2. Cook ziti 2 minutes less than package’s al dente time; drain. Pasta finishes cooking in oven.
  3. Meanwhile, brown sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat 8–10 minutes, breaking sausage into small pieces. Cook pork sausage to 160°F or poultry sausage to 165°F. Drain excess fat.
  4. Cook garlic 30 seconds. Stir in marinara and 1/2 cup water; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  5. Fold pasta into sauce. Separately mix ricotta, Parmesan, pepper and 1 cup mozzarella. Spread half the pasta in dish; dot with ricotta mixture and cover with remaining pasta. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
  6. Cover loosely with foil; bake 20 minutes. Uncover; bake another 10–15 minutes, until center reaches 165°F and cheese melts. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Equipment: 9x13-inch baking dish, large skillet, instant-read thermometer, large pasta pot, large pasta pot, large pasta pot, large pasta pot.
Serving size: one sixth of the casserole.
For freezing, bake the casserole, then portion into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Once chilled, cover airtight and freeze for up to 3 months for best quality.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat portions covered at 350°F for about 25–35 minutes, adding a spoonful of water or sauce if dry, until the center reaches 165°F. A whole casserole needs longer; use the thermometer rather than the clock. Avoid moving cold glass straight into a hot oven.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days.