I found a really unbelievable model of baked ziti in 2017 once I began cooking from Colu Henry’s Again Pocket Pasta. Large, hearty, family-style pastas are an excellent love of mine, however my baked ziti makes an attempt had been all the time simply so-so. I struggled with total cohesiveness, and the ricotta combination all the time tended to bake up a little bit drier than I hoped. Colu’s method was a game-changer. She recommends a 50/50 mix of ricotta and creme fraîche in her recipe – it retains the whole lot silky and wealthy, and I’ve by no means appeared again. And yep, bitter cream can even work in a pinch.
What Makes Nice Baked Ziti?
If you wish to make the very best baked ziti, deal with two issues: how lengthy you prepare dinner the pasta, and nailing an excellent sauce. The sauce is king right here. You wish to use good, flavorful tomatoes, and also you wish to let the whole lot simmer down right into a thick, chunky, vibrant purple sauce. A little bit of endurance is vital. See the sauce within the photograph under? Maintain simmering. On the pasta entrance, keep away from over-cooking within the preliminary stage, the boil. The ziti will proceed cooking because the pasta bakes – you wish to arrive on the end line with excellent pasta. In the event you overcook throughout the preliminary boil, the pasta will develop into too smooth and unstructured.
Baked Ziti: The Elements
- Dried ziti pasta: Use a good-quality dried pasta right here. Ziti is the namesake form to make use of, however penne is a legit different and simpler to search out tbh. For a little bit of added diet, discover entire wheat pastas, or pasta made with lentils or chickpeas. As I’ve talked about in earlier pasta recipes, a endlessly favourite of mine is the Monograno Felicetti Farro Penne Rigate. You possibly can even make baked ziti gluten-free by swapping in one of many GF pastas.
- Child spinach: One notice right here, in case your child spinach has lengthy thick stems, go forward and snap the largest offenders off. Other than that I don’t hassle chopping or fussing, however you’ll be able to for those who like.
- Canned tomatoes: Search for good-quality diced canned tomatoes. Be aware that you just’ll want each a 28-ounce *and* a 14-ounce can. I are inclined to seize fire-roasted for this recipe, however you don’t must!
- Sausage: I hardly ever purchase or prepare dinner with faux meat, however that is one recipe the place I exploit Inconceivable sausage for the meat element. It simply helps examine all of the containers for a giant, family-style baked ziti that everybody can get on board with. One other different is to make use of this mushroom ragù as your sauce, rather than the purple sauce with sausage posted under.
- Cheeses: Three cheese are in play right here. Use contemporary mozzarella if potential – it’ll usually be in liquid, and any dimension ball is okay – you’ll be tearing it into smaller items. For the grated cheese Colu recommends Pecorino Romano, however for those who are inclined to maintain Parmesan available, go forward and use that – freshly grated. And the ricotta performs one other key roll right here, so use one you’d take pleasure in consuming straight – on a cracker or slice of toast.
- Creme fraîche: The wildcard on this baked ziti is the addition of creme fraîche. To make your individual, you’ll be able to add 1 tablespoon of cultured buttermilk or yogurt to a cup of heavy cream. Stir nicely, cowl with a clear dishtowel, and permit to sit down out in your counter for 12 hours or so, till it thickens. Refrigerate till prepared to make use of. Alternately, you need to use bitter cream right here. It’s tangier, however in a great way!
Variations
Listed here are some favourite variations on this baked ziti that I’ve cooked through the years.
- Make it Spicy: To make this baked ziti feisty and spicy, add a little bit of spicy Calabrian pepper paste (the one I purchase most is named Bomba di Calabria) to the sauce after including the spinach. Go straightforward, a few of these pastes are wildly spicy. But additionally go stronger than you would possibly in any other case as a result of the sauce shall be reduce with all that dairy. Style and modify.
- Make it Gluten Free: You can also make this recipe gluten-free through the use of GF pasta rather than conventional pasta. On the time I’m penning this the Inconceivable sausage is GF, however double examine – in case you’re utilizing one other model or their product modifications.
- Baked Ziti with Mushrooms: I do a model of this baked ziti utilizing this mushroom ragù, and it’s equally unbelievable. Principally, fill a 12-inch skillet to 1/2-inch or so under the rim, and stir within the 5 ounces or spinach. Then proceed with the recipe as written. Principally, don’t skimp on the quantity of sauce you’re utilizing.
- Toss in Some Wildcards: A whole lot of occasions when making baked ziti, I’ll toss components in on a whim. No matter I’ve at hand. Just a few of the extra profitable additions embody the next: torn olives, numerous lemon or orange zest, additional spinach or herbs, deeply caramelized onions, goat cheese rather than half the mozzarella.
Baked Ziti: Make Forward Ideas
This recipe makes a giant pan of baked ziti. We usually eat half and freeze half leading to straightforward meals within the coming weeks. One of the simplest ways I’ve discovered to freeze baked ziti is to start out by refrigerating your baked ziti till it is vitally chilly. This makes it straightforward to slice into exact, particular person parts. Organize the parts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze till stable. Switch to freezer baggage for as much as 6 weeks. Reheat, lined in foil, on a baking sheet (or in baking pan), in a 375F oven till bubbly and scorching all through.
Again Pocket Pasta & Colu
Colu’s archives are a gold-mine of low raise, fabulous meals. Within the years since Again Pocket Pasta was printed, she additionally wrote Colu Cooks: Straightforward Fancy Meals. You want somebody like Colu Henry in your life. When Again Pocket Pasta was printed, I wrote, “She’s a type of trendy pals who will inform you the place to attain the prettiest clothes, enable you to e book the very best journey locations, and fortunately level you towards your subsequent good learn.” She’s the queen of bringing easy model to the weeknight dinner desk and her books are brimming with informal recipes achievable with little greater than a fairly stocked pantry and a little bit of seasonal aptitude. You possibly can comply with her right here and right here.
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