Sunday Baked Ziti

Sunday’s often give me a chance to make something that I can then use in the kid’s lunches, for my lunch or for a dinner.  This is a favorite in my house.  I also make this if I am going out of town and leaving my husband with the kids, it is big so it lasts a while and they always enjoy it.   After trying many different baked pasta recipes this one is really good.  I found it in Cook’s Illustrated, which is a great magazine for cooks of all levels since it really explains the thought process behind cooking, why things work and why certain things don’t.  In this recipe for example, they substitute out ricotta cheese, commonly used in baked pastas for cottage cheese which made a huge difference.

BAKED ZITI

1lb whole milk cottage cheese

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 oz grated parmesan(about 1 1/2 cups) I buy pre grated

Salt

1 lb ziti or other short tube pasta

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

5 garlic cloves put through garlic press

1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 tsp sugar

ground black pepper

3/4 tsp cornstarch

1 cup heavy cream

8 oz low moisture mozarella cheese, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander (do not wash Dutch oven).

Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in ½ cup basil and sugar, then season with salt and pepper.

Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl; transfer mixture to now-empty Dutch oven set over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce Transfer pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining ¾ cup mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan over top. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.