A picture of Tasty Baked Ziti.

Tasty Baked Ziti

Shawn Stevens
Shawn Stevens @graphicphreak
Tampa Bay

Recently I wanted some authentic baked ziti. Not sure WHY I wanted it, but the savory sauce, ricotta cheese flavor and melted mozzarella sounded good. So I called up a local established Italian joint and ordered some salad and dinners. It was horrible.. The sauce was burnt and they uses WAY to much if it. Hardly any noodles and the cheese was not great quality either. So I set out to make my own based on some memories of when i worked in the restaurant world. I worked for a Luciano "lou" Fierabrachi in Nassua NY - he was from Italy and MAN could this guy cook! 4 years i worked for him and almost bought the place so he could retire. This recipe is based off of his, but not exact since it has been some 20 plus years since I worked there.

Tasty Baked Ziti

Shawn Stevens's cooksnap of when they made Tasty Baked Ziti.
Shawn Stevens
Shawn Stevens @graphicphreak
Tampa Bay

Recently I wanted some authentic baked ziti. Not sure WHY I wanted it, but the savory sauce, ricotta cheese flavor and melted mozzarella sounded good. So I called up a local established Italian joint and ordered some salad and dinners. It was horrible.. The sauce was burnt and they uses WAY to much if it. Hardly any noodles and the cheese was not great quality either. So I set out to make my own based on some memories of when i worked in the restaurant world. I worked for a Luciano "lou" Fierabrachi in Nassua NY - he was from Italy and MAN could this guy cook! 4 years i worked for him and almost bought the place so he could retire. This recipe is based off of his, but not exact since it has been some 20 plus years since I worked there.
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Ingredients

4hrs with prep
6 servings
  1. 1 pounditalian sweet sausage
  2. 1 poundground beef
  3. 1onion finely chopped
  4. 1 jarquality sauce (unless you want to make your own the day before)
  5. 3 clovesgarlic finely chopped
  6. 1 canroasted diced tomatoes
  7. 1 boxziti, rigatoni or penne - your choice
  8. Ricotta cheese
  9. Mozzarella cheese
  10. Italian Seasoning
  11. table sugar
  12. crushed dry or fresh basil shredded
  13. olive oil
  14. 1small can of tomato paste

Cooking Instructions

4hrs with prep
  1. 1

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add in some olive oil and drop in pasta. Let it cook while you handle the next step - but drain it as SOON as it is soft enough. To soft and it is ruined.

  2. 2

    Chop onion and garlic and begin sweating half of the onions in the heated oil - add in half the garlic once the onion reaches pliability. Chunk up the sausage and ground beef and add to the pan cooking it thoroughly. Drain and set aside

  3. 3

    In a large sauce pan add in the sauce, remaining onions and garlic, the spices and sugar and the diced tomato and tomato paste. Set this up to simmer over the next few hours stirring frequently. Halfway through the simmer add in the drained meat. The length of simmer guarantees all the flavors meld together and soak into the meats. You can shorten this for brevity, but you will loose flavor.

  4. 4

    Once you feel the sauce is to your liking (I taste often and add in salt or basil or thyme as it is cooking) take it off the burner. Add a few spoonful of the sauce to the bottom of your baking dish (I use a casserole dish because of the depth).
    Start with a layer of noodles, then a light layer of the hot sauce and spoon in (lightly) dollops of ricotta spreading it around. A light layer of mozzarella cheese on top of that and then add noodles again evenly layered.

  5. 5

    Then heavier on the sauce this time some more ricotta (do not over do this - it is rich and spreads around when heated) and more mozz.
    Top layer is light noodle and heavy mozz.

  6. 6

    Put the baking dish on a sheet pan for easier pick up later. Take tin for and Tent the dish, do not cover it tightly and slide into a preheated 350 degree oven. Cook for about 30 - 40 minutes. Take tented foil off 5 minutes before time is up and see if the cheese is bubbling... then you know it is done.
    I like to hit broil for a few minutes after to get that top layer nice and crunchy.

  7. 7

    Let the dish site for 10 minutes to settle and then service with some good bread and olive oil dipping mixture and enjoy!

  8. 8

    Leftovers are best heated in a fry pan with a splash of milk. Cover and let the milk work its magic. Stir it up a few time and then get that bread to sop up all the yum juice. The pasta tastes even better after this.

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Shawn Stevens
Shawn Stevens @graphicphreak
on
Tampa Bay
Growing up in a single parent home in NY created a necessity to learn how to cook early on. My mom could make boiled chicken and french fries but beyond that, she lacked any culinary skills.So to make sure my little brother and I were fed, I picked up moms cook books and became a self taught kitchen king!My first real job was in an Italian restaurant where I learned about how the blending of some spices could change the flavor of the dish dramatically (think pizza sauce versus spaghetti sauce). From there it was various kitchens and jobs until I was 27 and a single parent myself.I love to cook - especially for a crowd and my kids grew up with all kinds of culinary delights (ok mostly Italian but way beyond that boiled chicken!).
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