Instructions:
- In a skillet, brown the ground meat with the chopped onion until cooked through. Drain off excess fat. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Transfer the browned meat mixture to the slow cooker insert. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, Italian seasoning, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir everything well to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, chopped parsley, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Mix until just combined.
- Add the uncooked dry ziti directly into the liquid sauce mixture in the slow cooker. Gently stir until all the pasta is submerged in the liquid.
- Drop spoonfuls (dollops) of the ricotta mixture evenly over the top of the pasta and sauce layer. Do not stir it in completely; the goal is to have pockets of creamy ricotta throughout the final dish.
- Cover the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 6-7 hours or High for 3-4 hours, or until the pasta is tender and the sauce is bubbling thickly.
- About 20 minutes before serving time, carefully lift the lid and sprinkle the 2 cups of shredded mozzarella evenly over the top. Recover and allow to melt fully (approximately 15-20 minutes).
- Turn the slow cooker off. Let the Ziti rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving to allow the dish to set up slightly. Garnish with extra Parmesan and parsley.