Baked Ziti

Ingredients

1 pound ziti, penne, or other short, tubular pasta
Salt and pepper
1 pound (2 cups) whole-milk or 1-percent cottage cheese
2 large eggs
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1-1⁄2 cups)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon sugar
3⁄4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces (1-1⁄2 cups)

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander (do not wash pot).
Meanwhile, whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Heat oil and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until garlic turns golden but not brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano, bring to simmer, and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1⁄2 cup basil and sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir cornstarch and heavy cream together in small bowl; transfer mixture to now-empty pot set over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup of tomato sauce, and 3⁄4 cup of mozzarella. Add pasta to sauce and toss to combine.
Transfer pasta to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over top. Sprinkle with remaining 3⁄4 cup mozzarella and remaining 1⁄2 cup Parmesan. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool casserole for 20 minutes, then sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.

Baked Ziti

Ingredients

Instructions

Tags

Hi There!