I found a really incredible model of baked ziti in 2017 after I began cooking from Colu Henry’s Again Pocket Pasta. Huge, hearty, family-style pastas are an excellent love of mine, however my baked ziti makes an attempt had been all the time simply so-so. I struggled with general cohesiveness, and the ricotta combination all the time tended to bake up a little bit drier than I hoped. Colu’s approach was a game-changer. She recommends a 50/50 mix of ricotta and creme fraîche in her recipe – it retains all the pieces silky and wealthy, and I’ve by no means regarded again. And yep, bitter cream may also work in a pinch.
What Makes Nice Baked Ziti?
If you wish to make the very best baked ziti, deal with two issues: how lengthy you prepare dinner the pasta, and the sauce. The sauce is king right here. You wish to use good, flavorful tomatoes, and also you wish to let all the pieces simmer down right into a thick, chunky, vibrant crimson sauce. A little bit of persistence is vital. See the sauce within the photograph beneath? Preserve simmering. On the pasta entrance, keep away from over-cooking within the preliminary stage, the boil. The ziti will proceed cooking because the pasta bakes – you wish to arrive on the end line with good pasta. If you happen to overcook in the course of the preliminary boil, the pasta will turn into too tender and unstructured.
Baked Ziti: The Elements
- Dried ziti pasta: Use a good-quality dried pasta right here. Ziti is the namesake form to make use of, however penne is a legit different and simpler to search out tbh. For a little bit of added vitamin, discover entire wheat pastas, or pasta made with lentils or chickpeas. As I’ve talked about in earlier pasta recipes, a perpetually favourite of mine is the Monograno Felicetti Farro Penne Rigate. You possibly can even make baked ziti gluten-free by swapping in one of many GF pastas.
- Child spinach: One be aware right here, in case your child spinach has lengthy thick stems, go forward and snap the largest offenders off. Apart from that I don’t hassle chopping or fussing.
- Canned tomatoes: Search for good-quality diced canned tomatoes. Word that you simply’ll want each a 28-ounce *and* a 14-ounce can. I are inclined to seize fire-roasted for this recipe, however you don’t should!
- Sausage: I hardly ever purchase or prepare dinner with faux meat, however that is one recipe the place I exploit Unimaginable sausage for the meat part. It simply helps verify all of the packing containers for an enormous, family-style baked ziti that everybody can get on board with. One other different is to make use of this mushroom ragù as your sauce, rather than the crimson sauce with sausage posted beneath.
- Cheeses: Three cheese are in play right here. Use contemporary mozzarella if potential. It’ll usually be in liquid, and any measurement is okay – you’ll be tearing it into smaller items. For the grated cheese Colu recommends Pecorino Romano, however should you are inclined to preserve Parmesan readily available, go forward and use that – freshly grated. And the ricotta performs one other key roll right here, so use one you’d get pleasure from consuming straight – on a cracker or slice of toast.
- Creme fraîche: The wildcard on this baked ziti is the addition of creme fraîche. To make your individual, you may add 1 tablespoon of cultured buttermilk or yogurt to a cup of heavy cream. Stir properly, cowl with a clear dishtowel, and permit to take a seat out in your counter for 12 hours or so, till it thickens. Refrigerate till prepared to make use of. Alternately, you should use bitter cream right here. It’s tangier, however in a great way!
Variations
Listed below are some favourite variations on this baked ziti that I’ve cooked through the years.
- Make it Spicy: To make this baked ziti feisty and spicy, add a little bit of spicy Calabrian pepper paste (the one I purchase most is named Bomba di Calabria) to the sauce after including the spinach. Go straightforward, a few of these pastes are wildly spicy. But in addition go stronger than you would possibly in any other case as a result of the sauce will probably be minimize with all that dairy. Style and modify.
- Make it Gluten Free: You can also make this recipe gluten-free through the use of GF pasta rather than conventional pasta. On the time I’m penning this the Unimaginable sausage is GF, however double verify – in case you’re utilizing one other model or their product modifications.
- Baked Ziti with Mushrooms: I do a model of this baked ziti utilizing this mushroom ragù, and it’s equally incredible. Principally, fill a 12-inch skillet to 1/2-inch or so beneath the rim, and stir within the 5 ounces or spinach. Then proceed with the recipe as written. Principally, don’t skimp on the quantity of sauce you’re utilizing.
- Toss in Some Wildcards: A number of occasions when making baked ziti, I’ll toss components in on a whim. No matter I’ve at hand. A number of of the extra profitable additions embody the next: torn olives, plenty of lemon or orange zest, additional spinach or herbs, deeply caramelized onions, goat cheese rather than half the mozzarella.
Baked Ziti: Make Forward Suggestions
This recipe makes a giant pan of baked ziti. We usually eat half and freeze half leading to straightforward meals within the coming weeks. One of the best ways I’ve discovered to freeze baked ziti is to begin by refrigerating your baked ziti till it is vitally chilly. This makes it straightforward to slice into exact, particular person parts. Prepare the parts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze till strong. Switch to freezer baggage for as much as 6 weeks. Reheat, lined in foil, on a baking sheet (or in baking pan), in a 375F oven till bubbly and sizzling all through.
Again Pocket Pasta & Colu
Colu’s archives are a gold-mine of low elevate, fabulous meals. Within the years since Again Pocket Pasta was printed, she additionally wrote Colu Cooks: Simple Fancy Meals. You want somebody like Colu Henry in your life. When Again Pocket Pasta was printed, I wrote, “She’s a kind of fashionable buddies who will inform you the place to attain the prettiest attire, make it easier to e-book the very best journey locations, and fortunately level you towards your subsequent good learn.” She’s the queen of bringing easy model to the weeknight dinner desk and her books are brimming with informal recipes achievable with little greater than a fairly stocked pantry and a little bit of seasonal aptitude. You possibly can comply with her right here and right here.
Extra Pasta Recipes