Try this delicious Baked Ziti recipe, perfect for a hearty and satisfying meal.
- Carbohydrate 29.701377993544 g
- Cholesterol 95.8599165025665 mg
- Fat 16.0989309297455 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 23.6807184932702 g
- Saturated Fat 8.65573127931152 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (154g)
- Sodium 316.190720260066 mg
- Sugar 29.701377993544 g
- Trans Fat 1.4548069530943 g
- Calories 362 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
- In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.
While traditional lasagna relies on flat sheets of pasta and a structured ricotta filling, baked ziti uses tubular shapes that trap sauce inside their cavities. Cooks frequently ruin this casserole by overcooking the ziti during the initial boil. Pull the pasta off the heat at exactly eight minutes while it retains a firm bite, because it will continue softening as it absorbs moisture from the sauce in a 350 degrees F oven. Another common error involves failing to drain browned ground beef thoroughly; excess rendered fat leaks into the sour cream and cheeses, creating an oily pool on the surface of the baking dish. Chemistry dictates the rich flavor profile here through the Maillard reaction occurring in the skillet between the onion, beef, and tomato solids, which deepens the overall savory depth before dairy components are introduced. When altering the recipe for dietary needs, maintain strict volumetric ratios; swapping standard sour cream for a plant-based alternative requires equal measure to preserve the binding moisture required during the thirty-minute bake. Provolone slices laid directly over the first pasta layer create a dense, stretchy barrier that prevents the bottom layer from becoming soggy, while the final dusting of parmesan provides the dry proteins necessary for effective browning on top. Assemble the layers in a buttered nine-by-thirteen-inch glass or ceramic dish, ensuring the cheeses melt completely and bubble around the edges before extraction.
