Lacey’s Pantry: Baked Ziti

By Lacey Vilhauer

Ingredients

• 1 pound (16 ounces) ziti noodles
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage
• 5 cups marinara sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large eggs

Instructions

Cook ziti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic and onion for 2 minutes. Add beef and sausage and cook until browned. Drain off excess fat and return the meat to the skillet.

Add marinara sauce to the skillet. Use your favorite pasta sauce or make your own! Stir in Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes. Simmer on low heat until the pasta is done. Stir half of the meat sauce into the cooked noodles and reserve the rest for layering.

In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the mozzarella, the ricotta, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the black pepper and the eggs. Mix until combined.

Assemble the ziti in a 13×9 baking dish or in ramekins for individual servings. Spread half of the sauced noodles in the bottom. Dollop half of the cheese mixture over the top and spread it evenly, then add ½ cup of mozzarella and half of the reserved meat sauce.

Repeat with the remaining noodles, cheese mixture and meat sauce. Top with the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella and the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley. Serve hot and enjoy!