Try this Baked Ziti recipe, or contribute your own.
- 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.
Replacing the sour cream with whole milk ricotta fundamentally shifts the texture and moisture retention of the dish. Sour cream introduces a sharp dairy tang and higher acidity that thins out significantly under thermal exposure, whereas ricotta holds its body to create distinct pockets of creaminess.
Container selection dictates the structural integrity of the final portions. A standard 9x13 inch glass or ceramic baking dish holds the precise volume required for layered pasta and sauce without spilling over the rim during the 350 degrees F bake. Metal pans conduct heat too aggressively at the edges, scorching the bottom layer of ziti before the interior dairy melts completely.
Undercooking the pasta during the initial boiling phase remains the single most critical factor for success. Pull the ziti at precisely 8 minutes while the center retains a firm bite. Tubular pasta continues to absorb ambient moisture from the surrounding sauce and sour cream mixture throughout the 30 minutes in the oven, transforming fully cooked noodles into mush.
Shredding the mozzarella from a block yields superior melting characteristics compared to pre-bagged varieties coated in cellulose anti-caking agents. Distribute the parmesan evenly across the top surface to encourage uniform browning.
