Fried Ziti Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Cook Ziti al dente- drain and refrigerate to chill (can be done a day ahead of time). Transfer ziti to a cutting board and chop coarsely.
• 2. In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil, add scallions, onions and garlic, sauté briefly 1 minute.
• 3. Add chopped ziti and sauté until the pasta starts to brown up and caramelize a bit -be sure to stir and shake the pan back or use a spoon to move the ziti around so you do not burn the pasta and you get some great color throughout the pasta.
• 4. Once you have some great brown color on the Ziti, add salt, pepper, oregano and the fresh herbs than add the sauce mixing and begin sauteing for another few minutes or so. I like to add Cooked Sweet sliced Italian Sausage at this time. Next add a couple of table spoons of the Asiago cheese and fold in.
• 5. Top the whole pan with the grated mozzarella and provolone evenly over the top along with the remaining Asiago cheese.
• 6. Bake in a preheated oven 400 degrees cook pasta for 20-30 minutes until brown and a bit crisp on the sides. Serve with some garlic bread and enjoy!
• 7. You can add any one of the following ingredients in place of the Sausage: Pepperoni- Diced Sautéed Mushrooms Fresh Spinach Meatballs (Cooked and Sliced) Sun dried Tomatoes
• 8. Check the full cooking demo and story behind this dish! www.thecookbookproject.net

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and saute until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook until browned. Drain off almost all of the fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove 3 to 4 cups of the cooked sauce to a bowl to cool down.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Cook the ziti until not quite al dente.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a bowl, mix 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, eggs and some salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).
• Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps). Add the cooled reserved meat sauce and toss to combine.
• Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta and the remaining sauce and mozzarella.
• Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before sprinkling with chopped parsley to serve.

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.