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Oven-Baked Ziti with Three Cheeses

A delicious take on lasagne, made with tube-shaped pasta instead of long noodles.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 6

Ingredients

2

tablespoons olive oil

1

onion, chopped

2

large garlic cloves, chopped

1

teaspoon fennel seeds

1

/3 cup tomato paste

1

8-ounce can tomato sauce

1

cup water

1

teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

1

/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage

1

/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1

15-ounce container ricotta cheese

1

egg

8

ounces mozzarella cheese, grated

12

ounces freshly cooked ziti or other tubular pasta

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic and fennel seeds and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, water, oregano and sage. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Step 2

    Preheat oven to 450°F. Butter 9x13-inch glass baking dish. In medium bowl combine ricotta cheese and egg. Reserve 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese for topping. Add remaining mozzarella to ricotta cheese mixture and blend. Season with salt and pepper.

    Step 3

    Spread 1/4 of tomato sauce over bottom of prepared dish. Layer 1/3 of pasta over. Drop half of ricotta cheese mixture over by spoonfuls. Spread 1/4 of sauce over. Repeat layering with another 1/3 of pasta, remaining cheese mixture, 1/4 of sauce and remaining pasta. Spread remaining sauce over and sprinkle with reserved mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

    Step 4

    Cover casserole and bake until heated through, about 40 minutes.