Ingredients:

  • Tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil
  • large Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • cloves Garlic, minced
  • lb Ground Beef or Italian Sausage
  • /2 cup Dry Red Wine or Stock
  • (28 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes (San Marzano preferred)
  • (15 oz) can Tomato Sauce
  • tsp Dried Oregano
  • /2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • Bay Leaf
  • lb Ziti or Penne pasta
  • /4 cup fresh Basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • oz Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
  • large Egg, lightly beaten
  • /2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Zest of 1 large Lemon
  • Pinch of Nutmeg
  • Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
  • cups Low-Moisture Whole Milk Mozzarella, shredded

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent (about 5-7 minutes). Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Add ground meat/sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned. Drain off excess fat.
  3. Pour in the red wine (or stock), scraping up any browned bits. Let it reduce by half (about 3 minutes).
  4. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook for a minimum of 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf and stir in fresh basil just before assembly.
  5. While the sauce simmers, cook the ziti in a large pot of salted boiling water until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain well.
  6. In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta, beaten egg, Parmesan, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until just smooth.
  7. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  8. Combine half of the tomato sauce with the cooked ziti and toss gently to coat. Spread this sauced pasta evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  9. Dollop spoonfuls of the entire whipped ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta layer.
  10. Top the ricotta layer with the remaining sauced pasta. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce evenly over the top layer.
  11. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling vigorously and the cheese is golden brown.
  12. Let the Baked Ziti rest on the counter for 10–15 minutes before serving.