REC: Very, very good Vegetarian Baked Ziti
I made this last night for my first cousin and his girlfriend and they loved it! I added a little sweet paprika powder, freshly ground black pepper and a little ground and dried chili to it as I didn't have tomato sauce. I used two 15 oz cans of tomatoes instead.
Also I didn't have ricotta cheese in the house so I used cottage cheese instead. I ran the cottage cheese through my food processor and to be honest, nobody vould tell the difference.
VEGETARIAN BAKED ZITI
This baked ziti makes a nutritionally-balanced meal in itself. Those with heartier appetites might add some whole-grain bread and a tossed salad or fruit.
6 ounces uncooked ziti, penne or other pasta
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) can tomatoes with no added salt
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 rounded tsp. dried oregano
1 (15.5 oz.) can great northern or other white beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 3/4 cups home-cooked)
6 oz. ricotta cheese (part-skim or fat-free) or soft tofu
3 oz. reduced-fat Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
salt to taste
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain well.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a two-quart baking dish with oil or non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and carrot; saute 10 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in tomatoes with juice, breaking them up with a spoon. Add tomato sauce, mushrooms and oregano. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Stir in beans and heat through. Remove pan from heat.
Add drained pasta, shredded cheese; crumble in ricotta or tofu; toss gently. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Servings: 4
Source: The American Institute for Cancer Research