What's the secret to awesome baked ziti

happy chick

Mon, Dec 28 2020, 4:58 pm

I make it quite often and while it's good, it's not awesome.
I use baked pasta, add marinara sauce, cottage cheese, shredded pizza cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese and top it w slices of cheddar cheese.
Sometimes I'll use more/less/diff cheeses, but generally the same.
And tips for making it awesome?

MiriFr

Mon, Dec 28 2020, 5:03 pm

Pasta is my area of expertise!
Boil the pasta for 8 min and drain. While warm, mix in ricotta, mozzarella, salt, and pepper.
Pour about a third of your marinara into the bottom of your pan, add cheesed pasta, pour the rest of your marinara over top. Cover and bake 15-20 min.
Edit- uncover, sprinkle some more mozzarella, and bake for 15 more min.
(Let me know if you want the best+weirdest baked mac n cheese recipe of your life)

Last edited by MiriFr on Mon, Dec 28 2020, 5:19 pm; edited 1 time in total

Story

Mon, Dec 28 2020, 5:05 pm

What do you mean baked pasta? I boil the pasta first, and actually prefer Rigatoni or Penne to Ziti (better texture)

Mix half of the sauce with cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella or pizza cheese into the cooked pasta.
Put in 9x13 and top with second half of the sauce, cover generously with grated cheese.

Bake for 1/2 hour.

I think the ratio of sauce is wha makes it awesome. Too little or too much and it comes out Eh
Also I find it comes out better with whipped cottage cheese.

challahchallah

Mon, Dec 28 2020, 5:14 pm

I find the quality of the cheeses matters. Definitely try ricotta instead of cottage cheese. I also like to add some herbs and things to the ricotta before adding it (usually, garlic powder, salt, pepper, dried basil and just a hint of dried oregano and parsley). I boil the pasta a couple minutes less than the directions since it will continue to soften when you bake it.

ra_mom

Mon, Dec 28 2020, 5:18 pm

happy chick wrote:

2 bottles marinara, 2 tubs ricotta/cottage cheese, 2 bags shredded cheese for *1* box of pasta.

mha3484

Mon, Dec 28 2020, 5:21 pm

I found that pre cooking the pasta is really what puts it over the top. Making no boil recipes are just eh. Not gross but not awesome. Also use ricotta cheese or whipped cottage and mozzarella cheese. Basically I make lasagna but with short pasta noodles.

agreer

Mon, Dec 28 2020, 5:31 pm

I bake mine uncovered, then mix it after 25 minutes of baking, so the crusty cheese on top gets distributed within the whole dish. Then add more cheese and continue baking till done (15-20 min longer).

I find the "secret" is TONS of cheese. Don't skimp on the cheese!

MiriFr

Mon, Dec 28 2020, 5:32 pm

Story wrote:

I want it!

I’m gonna start with dont-knock-it-till-you-try-it, because it sounds so weird, but it’s legit heaven.

Cook a box of pasta 9 min/ al dente. I use gemelli pasta, but any twisty shape will do. Pasta is just a sauce delivery vehicle, and this sauce it kinda thick and creamy.
While it’s cooking, make your crumb topping. About half cup graham cracker crumbs, a quarter cup bac’n pieces, a quarter cup brown sugar, a knob of butter, and some black pepper (I promise just trust the process). Melt the butter and combine with the rest.
For your cheese sauce, make a bouille of a C of cold milk and half cup flour. Whisk over medium heat. Add some garlic powder, mustard powder, and nutmeg. Turn the bouille off, and add the cheeses. About a cup of shredded cheddar, a cup of shredded mozzarella, and 2-3 Tb of brick cream cheese. It will all melt with the residual heat.
Add your al dented pasta.
Pour into pan.
Sprinkle crumb topping over top.
Bake uncovered 15-20 min.

shanie5

Mon, Dec 28 2020, 9:20 pm

MiriFr wrote:

What is a KNOB of butter?

-Sunnygirl

Mon, Dec 28 2020, 9:24 pm

I like using penne noodles or ziti rigati instead of plain ziti noodles.
I use mozzarella or pizza shredded cheese ONLY but a nice amount.
gefen pasta sauce!!! tried many sauces but this one is sweet and makes the ziti super yum and creamy!

healthymom1

Tue, Dec 29 2020, 12:14 am

Boil pasta (ziti with the ridges!)
Dont rinse after drained

Sauce pot
Saute onions and garlic (till soft not brown/black)
Add 1 jar marinara sauce (not sweet!)
Salt, pepper, parsley flakes
1 tub ricotta cheese
Mix until bubbles and gets a bit thick
Add pasta
Mix
Pour onto 9x13
Speed mozzarella all over

Bake on 375 covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for 10-15 minutes (until golden and stretchy)

studying_torah

Tue, Dec 29 2020, 12:26 am

Way undercook pasta because it will get softer in the oven & no one wants mushy pasta.
More sauce than you think you need, because pasta absorbs the sauce as it bakes.
Ricotta - can mix with an egg for added creaminess.
Some ricotta is sweeter than others, try to find a brand that is less sweet.

watergirl

Tue, Dec 29 2020, 8:08 am

I've found such a difference between the baked ziti you get in school lunches vs. homemade vs. out at a kosher restaurant vs. at a treif restaurant. Out of all the things I've had before I was frum, baked ziti is just one of those things that no kosher place can replicate, even though it's a vegetarian dish, there is just something that the treif places can do with it... not sure. But I googled the Olive Garden's copycat recipe (if you know, you know) so here you go.

When I make it at home, I call it "baked ziti" even though it bares little resemblance to what I remember as a kid. Firstly, I use cottage cheese because its way cheaper than ricotta. I use sauce from a jar, not homemade, and I use only mozzarella. It's fine. It is not awesome. I'm ok with that.

mochamix18

Tue, Dec 29 2020, 8:13 am

Parmesan, it gives it that very italian restaurant special taste along with a good mix of garlic powder, onion powder, dried basils and dried oregano. In Israel I put in “ tavlin l’pizza”. It’s my secret ingredient 😉