tossed salad and garlic bread. Source: Once Upon A Chef web site authored by Jenn Segal. This received a 5-star rating (out of 5 stars) from 400 reviews.
Baked Ziti with Sausage by Jenn Segal, October 4, 2017
This baked ziti with sausage is a MAJOR family pleaser.
Loaded with Italian sausage, which packs a ton of flavor, it’s similar to meat lasagna but without the fuss; easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for company; and it also makes a great prep-ahead potluck dish. While the baked ziti is in the oven, throw together a big Italian salad, warm some bread, open a bottle of red — and a comforting, make-everyone-happy dinner is served.
Before we get to the recipe, a few words about the ingredients. Ricotta cheese is a traditional addition to baked ziti, but I leave it out because it has a tendency to get dry and grainy when baked. I use heavy cream to add richness instead. As for the mozzarella, I recommend buying whole milk mozzarella (the kind in plastic-wrapped bricks sold in the dairy case) and shredding it yourself. It has a somewhat rubbery texture that’s easy to shred and melts beautifully.
Pre-shredded mozzarella is tossed with anti-caking agents, so it doesn’t melt as nicely. Finally, many grocers sell bulk Italian sausage, which is simply ground sausage without the casings. If you can’t find it, you can ask your butcher to take the meat out of the casings or do it yourself.
Servings: 8-10
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Total Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients
1 pound ziti pasta noodles
1.5 lbs ground spicy or sweet Italian sausage (or removed from casings)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 to 10 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven so you want to under cook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position.
Heat a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the Pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half of the remaining Pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.
Make Ahead: This dish can be assembled and refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days in advance. Since the dish will be cold, the baking time will need to be increased. To bake, cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in a 425°F oven for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dish can be frozen unbaked. When you’re ready to cook it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then proceed with the Make Ahead instructions above.
Pair with
Big Italian Salad
Rosemary Focaccia
Notes from Wigs: I used a total of 2 pounds of sausage--1 pound hot mixed with 1 pound regular. To the 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes I added a couple large diced fresh tomatoes from the garden when I simmered the sauce. I put the ziti into a 10 x 15-inch Pyrex baking dish and heated in the oven at a lower temp of 350 to 375 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. It would be a good idea to split the recipe between two 8x12" glass pans in order to bake and eat half now and freeze the second pan (before it is baked) to thaw, bake and enjoy for a future meal.
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/baked-ziti-with-sausage.html
Baked Ziti with Sausage by Jenn Segal, October 4, 2017
This baked ziti with sausage is a MAJOR family pleaser.
Loaded with Italian sausage, which packs a ton of flavor, it’s similar to meat lasagna but without the fuss; easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for company; and it also makes a great prep-ahead potluck dish. While the baked ziti is in the oven, throw together a big Italian salad, warm some bread, open a bottle of red — and a comforting, make-everyone-happy dinner is served.
Before we get to the recipe, a few words about the ingredients. Ricotta cheese is a traditional addition to baked ziti, but I leave it out because it has a tendency to get dry and grainy when baked. I use heavy cream to add richness instead. As for the mozzarella, I recommend buying whole milk mozzarella (the kind in plastic-wrapped bricks sold in the dairy case) and shredding it yourself. It has a somewhat rubbery texture that’s easy to shred and melts beautifully.
Pre-shredded mozzarella is tossed with anti-caking agents, so it doesn’t melt as nicely. Finally, many grocers sell bulk Italian sausage, which is simply ground sausage without the casings. If you can’t find it, you can ask your butcher to take the meat out of the casings or do it yourself.
Servings: 8-10
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Total Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients
1 pound ziti pasta noodles
1.5 lbs ground spicy or sweet Italian sausage (or removed from casings)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 to 10 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven so you want to under cook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position.
Heat a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the Pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half of the remaining Pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.
Make Ahead: This dish can be assembled and refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days in advance. Since the dish will be cold, the baking time will need to be increased. To bake, cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in a 425°F oven for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dish can be frozen unbaked. When you’re ready to cook it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then proceed with the Make Ahead instructions above.
Pair with
Big Italian Salad
Rosemary Focaccia
Notes from Wigs: I used a total of 2 pounds of sausage--1 pound hot mixed with 1 pound regular. To the 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes I added a couple large diced fresh tomatoes from the garden when I simmered the sauce. I put the ziti into a 10 x 15-inch Pyrex baking dish and heated in the oven at a lower temp of 350 to 375 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. It would be a good idea to split the recipe between two 8x12" glass pans in order to bake and eat half now and freeze the second pan (before it is baked) to thaw, bake and enjoy for a future meal.
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/baked-ziti-with-sausage.html