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make ahead baked ziti

serves 8
by nancy stone

Ingredients

  • 2 large can tomato sauce
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbl olive oil
  • 1 tsp italian seasoning
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 lb ziti
  • 1 large ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup locatelli cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 large mozzarella grated

Instructions

  1. heat olive oil in a large pot
  2. saute garlic 1 minute
  3. add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes
  4. add tomato sauce, salt & pepper and italian seasoning
  5. simmer for 25 minutes
  6. bring salted water to a boil
  7. mix ricotta, 1/3 of the grated mozzarella, eggs, locatelli cheese, salt & pepper
  8. preheat oven to 350 degrees (if baking right away)
  9. cook pasta as directed on the box
  10. mix pasta with ½ of the sauce, and the ricotta cheese
  11. pour in a casserole dish
  12. top with remaining sauce
  13. sprinkle mozzarella over the top and cover with foil
  14. either put in refrigerator until 45 minutes before eating or bake for 30 minutes
  15. uncover and finish until browned and bubbling – 15 minutes more

Recipe Notes

this one only takes 35 minutes to assemble and can be made several days ahead and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it. Great for company and it can sit in a lower temp oven (250 degrees) with out drying out if your dinner time is pushed back