Neapolitan Baked Ziti

Submitted by Sommer_K

"Here is another great RR recipe. This is also delicious with ground sausage or ground sirloin. I substituted regular shredded mozzerella instead of the fresh mozerella that RR used because I don't care for the flavor of fresh mozzerella."

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 lb ziti pasta
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 28 ounces plum tomatoes
• 4 -5 basil leaves, torn
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese
• fresh nutmeg
• salt and pepper

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Boil ziti just shy of al dente.
3. Place a medium sauce pan on medium-high head and add EVOO.
4. Cook onion and garlic 4-5 minutes, then add the tomatoes. Smash the tomatoes with the back of a large spoon, then add basil, salt and pepper and simmer 15 minutes.
5. Heat a separate medium sauce pan on medium-high heat then add, butter and alllow to melt.
6. Add flour and brown 2-4 minutes, then stir in bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes on low heat. Remove bay leaf.
7. Mix red sauce with pasta and transfer to a casserole dish.
8. Top with white sauce, and both cheeses.
9. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Reviews

[cali~jenn]

Just made this last night and LOVED it. I browned up a turkey sausage, cut into small bites first. Then I added in a little bit of burgundy wine cuz I always add a splash to my sauce anyhow then I cheated and added hunts canned spaghetti sauce to the pan and simmered. Made the bechamel sauce and followed the rest of the instructions and it was YUM-O. ;)

 

[DeniseBC]

I really wanted to like this recipe. However, there are some gaps in the instructions, so I had to go to the Rachael Ray site to be sure I knew where to put in the milk and the nutmeg (They both go in with the bay leaf). I did also add sweet Italian sausage as Sommer_K suggested. That was a good suggestion because without it I think this would be way too bland. As it was, it was fairly bland. It wasn't bad, we just like some more spice than this had to offer. It would be great for a big family because it made enough for more like 8-10, in my opinion. If I make it again, I may use a liberal amount of Italian Seasoning in the tomato mixture and perhaps a spicier sausage. I'll also half it for the two of us. Made for Fall 2009 PAC.