baked ziti (recipe)

Here's an easy faux baked ziti that tastes like you spent all day working on it.

What You Need:

• 1 pound dry ziti
• Kosher salt to taste
• 3 fourteen ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound sweet, mild, or hot Italian ground sausage
• 2 large onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup finely minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 pound ricotta cheese
• 1 pound low-moisture skim milk mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 ounces roughly grated Parmigiano cheese

What You Do:

1. Cook pasta according to instructions.
2. Blend tomatoes until smooth with some chunks left. Reserve 3/4 cup and put the rest in a large bowl.
3. Add cream and chicken stock. Season to taste with salt.
4. In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat butter and oil.
5. Add sausage, cooking until no longer pink.
6. Add onion and garlic, simmer on low for 5 minutes.
7. Add oregano, red pepper flakes, and parsley. Cook about 1 minute.
8. Add tomato and heavy cream mixture to skillet. 
9. Add ricotta, mozzerella, parmigiano cheeses, stir gently.
10. Cook for five minutes.
11. Drain pasta and put on platter.
12. Cover with sauce and serve.

You get the taste of a nice baked ziti without the chore of cleaning a baking dish crusted with spaghetti sauce. Enjoy!

^{Iron Noder 2017}