Cheesy Baked Ziti

Name: Cheesy Baked Ziti
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Baking
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) ziti or penne pasta; 3 cups (700 g) passata or crushed tomatoes; 1 cup (250 g) ricotta; 2 cups (200 g) shredded mozzarella; ½ cup (45 g) grated parmesan; 2 tbsp olive oil; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 large egg; to taste salt and pepper

Saucy pasta baked under a blanket of melted mozzarella.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time50 mins

YieldServes 6

Before You Start

A crowd-pleasing pasta bake that comes together from mostly cupboard staples. The trick is to boil the pasta just under done so it finishes cooking in the oven and never goes mushy. Cook it in cups or grams, whichever your packet uses.

Instructions

1
Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Boil the pasta in well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet says, so it stays firm, then drain.
2
Warm the olive oil in a pan, cook the garlic for a minute, then stir in the tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3
In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the egg and half the parmesan.
4
Fold the drained pasta into the tomato sauce, then stir through the ricotta mix and half the mozzarella.
5
Tip into a baking dish and scatter the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan on top.
6
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbling and golden. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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💡 Baker's tips

Undercook the pasta at the boil. It finishes in the oven and won't turn soft.
If the top browns too fast, cover with foil for the first 15 minutes.

🔀 Make it your own

Brown 250 g of Italian sausage or minced beef and stir it into the sauce for a meaty version.
Fold in a couple of handfuls of baby spinach with the pasta.

📦 Storing & freezing

Keeps 3 days airtight in the fridge and reheats well. Freeze portions for up to 2 months.

❓ Frequently asked

Can I assemble baked ziti ahead?

Yes. Build it, cover and refrigerate for up to a day, then add about 10 minutes to the bake time from cold.

What pasta works best?

Short tubes like ziti, penne or rigatoni hold the sauce well. Boil them just under al dente so they don't overcook in the oven.

Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.

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