Baked Ziti

Why not make this for dinner?

Here's how!

1 box ziti with lines
1 package hot Italian turkey sausage
1 package ground turkey
1 medium white onion diced
3 large cloves of garlic minced
1 package shredded cheese (Pizza blend works nicely)
1 package bocconcini (bite size fresh mozzarella)
1 small container of part-skim ricotta cheese
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 14oz can diced tomatoes (drained)


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Set up a pasta pot with water - while you're waiting for it to boil, prep the rest.
In a large skillet brown the ground turkey, turkey sausage, onion and garlic. (I split the sausage the long way and remove the meat because I can't get bulk sausage at my grocery store).

This is the most important step in my opinion (for both lasagna and baked ziti) you have to beat up the meat quite thoroughly while it's cooking, until you achieve a uniform, crumble consistency. A potato masher works nicely, also a wooden spoon. Definitely requires some elbow grease - but keep at it! It's vital to the end result.

Add the crushed and diced tomatoes, stir and reduce the heat to low.

Boil your pasta for no more than 5 minutes - it should be significantly underdone.

Drain the pasta and mix it in with the sauce. Add 1/2 of the bocconcini, and the entire package of ricotta and stir.

Pour the entire mixture into a 13x9 pan.

Top with the remaining bocconcini and the entire package of shredded cheese.

Bake 45-60 minutes.

Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Good, good stuff.

PS - why not get the large package of ricotta - use 1/2 for the pasta and the other 1/2 for ricotta muffins?

Oh you don't have a good recipe for ricotta muffins? Well, I'll provide one ASAP.

Till next time, gang :)

What's your favorite pasta comfort dish?