Prepared Ziti Deserted with Meaty Spheres

Prepared Ziti Deserted with Meaty Spheres

Revised Article:

Hankerin' for something that's a cross between lasagna and spaghetti and meatballs? Look no further! This tasty dish is right up your alley if you fancy a bit of a spicy kick. Let's whip up some scrumptious Ziti with Spicy Sausage!

Perks:- Prep ahead up to 2 days by following the stepsup to step 6.- Check out our Baked Ziti with Creamy Tomato Sauce, Baked Ziti with Prosciutto, and Baked Radicchio and Mozzarella Pasta for more baked ziti inspiration!

• Servings: 8-12
• Difficulty: Easy peasy
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 12 oz dried ziti pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed, sausage meat pinched off in 1-inch pieces
• 16 oz whole-milk ricotta
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh mozzarella cheese

Let's Get Cooking!

1. Fire up the oven to 375°F. Slick a 2-quart baking dish with some oil.
2. Cook the ziti in a large pot of salty water according to the package directions. While the pasta's a-boilin', let's crack on with the sauce.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and diced onion to the pan and sauté until they're tender and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, black pepper, dried herbs, sugar, and crushed tomatoes. Toss those ingredients together, reduce the heat to low, and let 'em simmer for at least 20 minutes.
4. While the sauce bubbles away, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, toss in the sausage pieces. Cook 'em until they're golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
5. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, remaining salt, and half of both cheeses.
6. In the prepared baking dish, layer half of the pasta mixture, followed by the ricotta mixture. Cover with the remaining pasta mixture, and top with the remaining cheeses.
7. Pop the dish into the preheated oven and bake until the mixture is bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes.

Bon appétit! Dig in and enjoy!

Enrichment Data:For a quicker version, feel free to use frozen meatballs instead of spicy Italian sausage and enjoy your Baked Ziti with Meatballs! To whip up homemade meatballs, mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Shape them into balls and bake or pan-sear until cooked through. Incorporate cooked onions into the sauce for added flavor if desired.

1. For a variation on the recipe, you can add meatballs instead of spicy Italian sausage for a dish known as Baked Ziti with Meatballs.
2. If you'd like to add more nutrition to the dish, consider making homemade meatballs using ground beef, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
3. In the uncategorized section of recipes, you can find other inspiring uses for ziti pasta such as Baked Ziti with Creamy Tomato Sauce, Baked Ziti with Prosciutto, or Baked Radicchio and Mozzarella Pasta.
4. To save time on the preparation of this ziti recipe, you can add pre-cooked and frozen meatballs to the sauce instead of making the spicy Italian sausage from scratch.

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