Baked Ziti Florentine Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Boil ziti, following package directions, drain and place in a large bowl.
• Mix all the ricotta cheese and half of the mozzarella with the ziti.
• Spray a 13x9 pan with Pam.
• Cover the bottom half of the pan with about half the sauce.
• Put the ziti mixture on top of sauce.
• Pour remaining sauce on top of ziti.
• Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
• Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and it is lightly golden.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
• In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200°C). Grease a 3-quart baking dish with the butter.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat the aromatics, until the tomato paste is deep brick-red, about 2 minutes.
• Add the whole tomatoes and their juices, using a potato masher or your hands to crush them into the sauce. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, 20 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of ricotta, the Parmesan, remaining teaspoon of salt, and remaining teaspoon of pepper to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
• Reserve 2 cups of tomato sauce in a bowl, then add the ricotta-Parmesan mixture to the remaining tomato sauce in the pot and stir to combine.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander.
• Add the drained pasta tomato-ricotta sauce and stir until well coated.
• Add half of the pasta to the prepared baking dish. Cover with 1 cup of the reserved tomato sauce, ¾ cup of the mozzarella, and ½ cup of the remaining ricotta. Add the remaining pasta, then repeat with the remaining cup of tomato sauce, ¾ cup of mozzarella, and ½ cup of ricotta.
• Bake until the mozzarella is golden brown and the tomato sauce is bubbling, 25-30 minutes.
• Garnish with the basil before serving.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Cut down the length of each sausage with a sharp knife. Remove and discard casings.
• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over high heat. Add sausages and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up with a spatula, until the sausage begins to brown, and the onion turns translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add oregano, thyme, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in marinara sauce. Pour 1 cup water into each jar to rinse out remaining sauce; add to the saucepan. Stir together and bring sauce to a simmer.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Turn off heat and reserve until needed. Before using, skim any excess fat that rises to the surface.
• While sauce simmers, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 or 2 minutes less than the directions on the package call for, about 8 minutes. Drain well and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
• Carefully add the meat sauce and stir until thoroughly combined. Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a large 9x15-inch or 9x13-inch casserole dish with a drizzle of olive oil.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer half of the pasta and sauce mixture to the prepared dish, then use a spatula to even out into a uniform layer. Top with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, and then 1/2 of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, being sure to distribute evenly. Top with the rest of the pasta and sauce mixture and give the pan a little shake to settle the sauce. Repeat the cheese application.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the casserole is piping hot, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Top with parsley.

Steps:

• Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese, spinach, Parmesan cheese, salt, oregano and pepper. Drain shells and rinse in cold water; stuff with spinach mixture., Place shells in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Pour spaghetti sauce over shells. Cover and bake at 350° until heated through, 30-40 minutes. Serve with breadsticks if desired.

Steps:

• In a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 10 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours., Cook ziti according to package directions. In a large bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper and 5 cups sauce. Drain ziti; stir into cheese mixture., Transfer to a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining sauce over the top; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish with additional parsley.

Steps:

• Cook ziti in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and leave in a colander.
• Heat oil in same pot. Add ground beef and onions and cook over medium- high heat, breaking up beef with a wooden spoon, 4 minutes or until beef is no longer pink.
• Stir in tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 12 minutes for flavor to develop. Stir in spinach and cook 3 minutes longer.
• Remove from heat.
• Heat oven to 375°F Have a 13x9-inch baking dish ready; spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Stir cooked ziti and cottage cheese into spinach sauce until blended. Spoon into baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake 30 minutes, or until top is golden.
• ***Note***.
• The last time I made this, I had some leftover cheese sauce I needed to use up so I threw it in and it was great! Made a creamier casserole that I actually preferred, but since the rest of the family likes both versions equally, I'm just addding this as a note.
• Here's the cheese sauce if you're intereseted:.
• 2 Tablespoons butter.
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour.
• 1 cup milk.
• 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper (or to taste).
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese.
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard.
• Melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Gradually add milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Stir in salt, cheese and dry mustard.