I found a really incredible model of baked ziti in 2017 after I began cooking from Colu Henry’s Again Pocket Pasta. Massive, hearty, family-style pastas are a terrific love of mine, however my baked ziti makes an attempt had been at all times simply so-so. I struggled with general cohesiveness, and the ricotta combination at all times tended to bake up just a little drier than I hoped. Colu’s method was a game-changer. She recommends a 50/50 mix of ricotta and creme fraîche in her recipe – it retains all the things silky and wealthy, and I’ve by no means appeared again. And yep, bitter cream can even 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 nailing a terrific sauce. The sauce is king right here. You need to use good, flavorful tomatoes, and also you need to let all the things simmer down right into a thick, chunky, vibrant pink sauce. A little bit of endurance is vital. See the sauce within the picture under? 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 need to arrive on the end line with good pasta. In the event you overcook in the course of the preliminary boil, the pasta will turn out to be too tender and unstructured.
Baked Ziti: The Substances
- 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 seek 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 word right here, in case your child spinach has lengthy thick stems, go forward and snap the most important offenders off. Except for that I don’t hassle chopping or fussing, however you may for those who like.
- Canned tomatoes: Search for good-quality diced canned tomatoes. Word that you just’ll want each a 28-ounce *and* a 14-ounce can. I are likely to seize fire-roasted for this recipe, however you don’t should!
- Sausage: I not often purchase or prepare dinner with faux meat, however that is one recipe the place I take advantage of Inconceivable sausage for the meat part. It simply helps test 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 pink sauce with sausage posted under.
- Cheeses: Three cheese are in play right here. Use contemporary mozzarella if attainable. It’ll sometimes be in liquid, and any measurement is ok – you’ll be tearing it into smaller items. For the grated cheese Colu recommends Pecorino Romano, however for those who are likely to maintain Parmesan available, go forward and use that – freshly grated. And the ricotta performs one other key roll right here, so use one you’d take pleasure in 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 need to use bitter cream right here. It’s tangier, however in a great way!
Variations
Listed here 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 simple, a few of these pastes are wildly spicy. But in addition go stronger than you may in any other case as a result of the sauce can be reduce with all that dairy. Style and alter.
- Make it Gluten Free: You may make this recipe gluten-free by utilizing GF pasta rather than conventional pasta. On the time I’m scripting this the Inconceivable sausage is GF, however double test – in case you’re utilizing one other model or their product adjustments.
- Baked Ziti with Mushrooms: I do a model of this baked ziti utilizing this mushroom ragù, and it’s equally incredible. Mainly, fill a 12-inch skillet to 1/2-inch or so under the rim, and stir within the 5 ounces or spinach. Then proceed with the recipe as written. Mainly, don’t skimp on the quantity of sauce you’re utilizing.
- Toss in Some Wildcards: Plenty of occasions when making baked ziti, I’ll toss components in on a whim. No matter I’ve at hand. Just a few of the extra profitable additions embrace 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 massive pan of baked ziti. We sometimes eat half and freeze half leading to simple meals within the coming weeks. One of the simplest ways I’ve discovered to freeze baked ziti is to begin by refrigerating your baked ziti till it is vitally chilly. This makes it simple to slice into exact, particular person parts. Prepare the parts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze till stable. Switch to freezer baggage for as much as 6 weeks. Reheat, coated 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: Straightforward Fancy Meals. You want somebody like Colu Henry in your life. When Again Pocket Pasta was printed, I wrote, «She’s a kind of trendy pals who will inform you the place to attain the prettiest attire, assist you to e book the very best journey locations, and fortunately level you towards your subsequent good learn.» She’s the queen of bringing easy type 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.
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