Saucy Baked Ziti

(from kintyre’s recipe box)

Source: Stir

Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 6 people

Categories: entree, meatless, not tried

Ingredients

  • For the tomato sauce:
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
  • 2 28 ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes (Muirglen)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
  • For the bechamel:
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk warmed (but not boiled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, plus more to taste
  • For the rest of the dish:
  • 1 pound dry ziti or rigatoni
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 cup (50 grams) freshly grated parmesan
  • 1 cup (50 grams) panko bread crumbs
  • a pinch or 2 of nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • a handful of fresh basil leaves, sliced or torn into small pieces

Directions

  1. Position the rack in the top 1/3 of the oven, and preheat to 375 degrees.

  2. Brush a 9 by 13 glass or ceramic baking dish with olive oil.

  3. Make the tomato sauce:

  4. Pour the 4 tablespoons of olive oil into a 3 or 4 quart saucepan and warm over medium to high heat until it shimmers.

  5. Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for a minute or so, until fragrant.

  6. Add the tomatoes, smushing them up with your hands as you drop them into the pot.

  7. Dump in any juices left in the cans, stir in the salt, turn the heat up to high, and bring to a boil.

  8. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.

  9. Taste, and add more salt and crushed red pepper if you’d like.

  10. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside.

  11. Meanwhile, make the bechamel:

  12. Melt the butter in a 3 or 4 quart saucepan over medium high heat.

  13. Add the flour and stir for a couple of minutes, to form a pale brown paste.

  14. Very slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking continuously.

  15. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring the whole time, until the sauce thickens.

  16. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the salt and the nutmeg and taste.

  17. If you prefer more salt or nutmeg, stir it in, and set the sauce aside.

  18. Make the pasta and assemble the dish:

  19. Bring a large pot of water to boil and toss in a few hefty pinches of salt.

  20. Add the pasta and cook until it’s 3 or 4 minutes short of done (It will cook the rest of the way through in the oven.)

  21. Drain the pasta and transfer it to your largest bowl.

  22. Add the tomato sauce, bechamel, mozzarella, and about 3/4 of the parmesan to the ziti and mix will.

  23. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and scatter the rest of the parmesan over top.

  24. In a small bowl, toss the bread crumbs with a nice pinch of nutmeg, plus another 1/2 teaspoon or so of crushed red pepper if you’d like some more heat, mix with the 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle over the ziti.

  25. Bake until the ziti is bubbling and the top is brown, about 15 minutes.

  26. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes, then scatter the sliced basil over the top and stir.

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