Baked Ziti

Tubular pasta coated in a thick tomato and beef sauce, baked under a layer of melting mozzarella. The edges should be golden and crispy while the center remains creamy and tender.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 35 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 1279
• Protein: 69 g
• Carbs: 115 g
• Fat: 62 g

Ingredients

• 500 g Penne rigate ( dry )
• 450 g Ground beef 15% fat ( fresh )
• 1 piece Onion ( finely diced )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 250 g Buffalo milk mozzarella ("di bufala") ( shredded )
• 50 g Parmesan cheese ( grated )
• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Oregano ( dried )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 750 ml Marinara Sauce
• 250 g Ricotta Cheese

Instructions

1. Pasta cooking

   Plunge the penne into a large quantity of boiling salted water. Cook 2 minutes less than the time indicated on the package to keep a firm texture. Drain.

2. Searing the meat

   In a skillet with olive oil, sauté the onion and garlic. Add the ground beef and brown over high heat. The meat should be well seared and not boiled.

3. Assembly

   Mix the pasta with the meat, marinara sauce, ricotta, oregano, and half of the mozzarella. The sauce and ricotta should coat each piece of pasta well to provide creaminess.

4. Baking

   Pour into a baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Bake at 200°C until the cheese bubbles and turns a golden amber color.

Chef's tips

• Undercook the pasta as it will finish absorbing the sauce in the oven.
• If the sauce reduces too much, deglaze with a splash of pasta cooking water.
• The cheese should brown, not burn: watch the color closely.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in the oven covered with foil to prevent the pasta from drying out.