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Per serving
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- 1
Build the meat sauce
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, brown the ground beef with the onion, finely diced, over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks, until no pink remains. Add the garlic, minced, and cook one minute more. Drain off any excess fat. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, water, parsley, basil, and half the oregano. Stir everything together, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let it go for at least 45 minutes, stirring now and then. An hour is better. The longer it simmers, the more it tastes like Sunday.
- 2
Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti about 2 minutes less than the package says — it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
- 3
Mix the cheese filling
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, the egg, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined — don't overwork it.
- 4
Layer and assemble
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 13x9 baking dish. Spread about 1 cup of meat sauce across the bottom. Layer in half the pasta, then a third of the remaining sauce, then half the cheese mixture. Repeat: pasta, sauce, cheese mixture. Finish with the remaining meat sauce across the top. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan and the remaining oregano over everything.
- 5
Bake
Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10–15 minutes if you want a little color on top. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving — this is not negotiable. It needs to settle.
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Sunday Baked Ziti
Created by: PastaAndProsciutto
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic clove
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 3/4 tsp dried oregano
- 8 oz ziti pasta
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Build the meat sauceIn a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, brown the ground beef with the onion, finely diced, over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks, until no pink remains. Add the garlic, minced, and cook one minute more. Drain off any excess fat. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, water, parsley, basil, and half the oregano. Stir everything together, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let it go for at least 45 minutes, stirring now and then. An hour is better. The longer it simmers, the more it tastes like Sunday.
- Cook the pastaBring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti about 2 minutes less than the package says — it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
- Mix the cheese fillingIn a large bowl, combine the ricotta, shredded mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, the egg, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined — don't overwork it.
- Layer and assemblePreheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 13x9 baking dish. Spread about 1 cup of meat sauce across the bottom. Layer in half the pasta, then a third of the remaining sauce, then half the cheese mixture. Repeat: pasta, sauce, cheese mixture. Finish with the remaining meat sauce across the top. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan and the remaining oregano over everything.
- BakeCover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10–15 minutes if you want a little color on top. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving — this is not negotiable. It needs to settle.