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baked ziti italian american recipe

Baked Ziti Italian American Style

A classic baked ziti with loose tomato sauce, creamy ricotta, mozzarella pockets, and a bronzed top. Simple layers, steady heat, and a short rest keep every scoop saucy, rich, and comforting without turning dry or greasy.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Cuisines, Italian-American
Calories: 550
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Short pasta
  • Ziti penne, or rigatoni, 1 lb
Tomato sauce
  • Olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1 can crushed or hand-crushed whole tomatoes 26–28 oz
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Fresh basil
Ricotta layer
  • Whole-milk ricotta 15 oz
  • 1 large egg
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano finely grated, 1 cup
  • Parsley chopped, 2 tbsp
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
Cheese for layering
  • Mozzarella cubed or shredded, 12 oz
  • Extra Parmigiano-Reggiano for topping ½ cup
Optional meat
  • Italian sausage or ground beef 1 lb, browned and cooled
Other
  • Reserved pasta water up to 1 cup
  • Olive oil for the pan

Method
 

Heat oven to 400°F. Oil a 9×13-inch baking dish.
    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta one minute less than package time. Drain and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
      Make the sauce. Warm olive oil in a pan. Soften garlic on low heat. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently until loose and spoonable. Finish with basil.
        Mix ricotta, egg, grated Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth and glossy.
          Toss cooked pasta with 1 to 2 cups warm sauce. Add a splash of pasta water if it looks tight.
            Layer the dish.
            1. First layer: sauced pasta
            2. Add sauce, ricotta dollops, mozzarella, and a light sprinkle of Parmesan
            3. Add meat if using
            4. Repeat layers
            Finish with pasta, a thin layer of sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan on top.
              Cover loosely with foil if the oven runs hot. Bake 20 minutes.
                Uncover and bake until bubbly and lightly browned, about 5 to 10 minutes more.
                  Rest 10 minutes before serving so slices hold and cheese settles.

                    Notes

                    Keep the sauce loose before baking. The oven thickens it.
                    Cubed mozzarella gives creamy pockets. Shredded spreads more evenly.
                    Pull the dish while still saucy. Rest finishes the cook.
                    Hold extra warm sauce for serving. It fixes dryness at the table.