baked ricotta pomodoro ziti
Tubular pasta never looked so good.
Happy Tuesday, folks! I took all necessary precautions to guard my favorite pink sweater while cooking this dish, yet I still ended up with splatters. Well, let me rephrase: all necessary precautions except putting on my fucking apron. Because I’m an idiot. And look where it got me.
Nonetheless, I’m thrilled to share this cozy, carby Baked Ricotta Pomodoro Ziti today. Healthy for January? No. Necessary for cold snaps? Absolutely. Plus, it’s a swell treat after a long and successful marathon-pace workout such as the one I ran the morning I made this bad boy.
I tend to associate pasta with carb loading for long races, and I think that might be why I err away from it under many circumstances. Baked pastas? Different story. I find little else more comforting (except maybe hot chocolate and midday lattes) than a cheesy pile of noodles when the wind whips outside and the Netflix fireplace roars on my TV.
This beautiful dish is easy as can be. Several moving parts, but none of them complicated, and using lots of pantry staples. Leftovers can last a long time in the freezer or be meal prepped for pretty much the whole fam. A “beefy” pomodoro-inspired tomato sauce coats gobs of ziti and is layered thus with pesto-kissed ricotta and tons of mozzarella.
Bake, scoop, and garnish with basil. Amazing. Send noods.
Pom-odoro Wonderful
My pomodoro-esque sauce has appeared in so many of my tomato based dishes, because it’s simple but packed with flavor. I tend to buy jarred marinara sauces for the most part, but when I have the itch to simmer my own, this is my go-to formula.
I use vegetarian beef for all of my meaty sauces, but you can use regular if you wish. The preparation isn’t much different either way.
First, heat lots of olive oil (yes, 1/4 cup is correct) in a big skillet over medium. Stir in your preferred protein vessel along with minced garlic, dried oregano, fennel, and parsley, along with some salt and pepper. Cook until browned, stirring often.
Dump in a big can of crushed tomatoes and a normal can of tomato sauce, as well as a little bit of honey or sugar to cut the acidity. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 10 minutes or so. You can let this go longer, but 10 minutes is good enough for our purposes. Finish with lots of chopped basil and taste for salt and pepper as needed.
In the meantime, boil a big ass pot of salty water and cook off your ziti. Reduce the recommended time by 1 minute – so, if 10 minutes gets you al dente, stop the timer at 9 minutes – and strain the pasta once it’s finished. The lesser cooking time accounts for the finishing bake we give the ziti once it’s assembled.
When the sauce is ready, toss the ziti into the nightshade goodness until fully coated.
Layer Up!
In a small bowl, stir the ricotta with pesto and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Double the basil, double the fun!
Snag a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, or another oven-safe skillet. Transfer half of the ziti into the dish, then dollop half of the ricotta overtop. Repeat with the remaining ziti and ricotta, then finish with a metric fuckload of mozzarella cheese. I like to mix in parmesan, too, when I have it on hand, or when I’m not too goddamn lazy to shred more cheese.
I hate shredding cheese, man.
Bake the ziti for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and golden in spots. If you’re feeling it, broil the final 1-2 minutes for a good browning on the edges. Amazing.
A fresh green salad (Basic-Ass House Salad, anyone?) or steamed broccoli always accompany these cheesy pasta dishes. Perhaps I’ll explore making an even simpler side salad that you can adapt to your needs for the recipes that require lightness. How does that sound?
Yep, this freezes perfectly. Wait until the ziti cools, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months. I like to overnight thaw batches when I know I need some noodles in my life for the next day.
Now THIS is a great way to welcome the week, is it not? Cheers, pals!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Pomodoro perfection:
Spicy Pesto Pomodoro Stuffed Shells
baked ricotta pomodoro ziti
Ingredients
- 1 lb ziti
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb vegetarian or regular ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried fennel
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup basil pesto
- 3 cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- fresh basil, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to package directions minus one minute (so, if it recommends 10 minute for al dente, cook it for 9). Drain and set aside.
- In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Stir in the ground beef, oregano, parsley, fennel, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until browned, about 6-8 minutes.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir in the honey or sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, covered for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Switch off the heat and stir in the basil, then pour in the pasta and toss until the noodles are fully coated.
- In a bowl, stir the ricotta, pesto, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Transfer half of the saucy ziti into a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Dollop half of the ricotta overtop, then the rest of the ziti, the other half of the ricotta, and the remaining 2 cups of cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until browned, bubbly, and lightly crispy on the edges. If desired, switch the broiler to high for the final 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle the ziti with fresh basil and serve!
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