Try this One-Skillet Baked Ziti recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 lb . lean ground beef
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2-15 oz cans diced tomatoes (undrained )
- 1-15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon basil (i use sweet basil)
- 1 tsp . italian seasoning
- 2-3 c . water
- 12 oz . dry ziti (can also use penne or similar shaped
- 1/2 c . half-and-half (regular or fat-free)
- 1/2 c . grated parmesan
- 8 oz . fresh mozzarella
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1051g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to low broil (500-550 F).
- Cook ground beef in an oven-safe skillet that's at least 12-inches over medium heat.
- Drain and return to pan.
- Add the garlic to the pan, and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried basil, and Italian seasoning.
- Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Add 2 cups water and dry pasta.
- Bring to boil.
- Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until noodles are tender. If the sauce starts to cook down too much, add additional water as needed.
- Stir in the half-and-half and parmesan cheese.
- Place slices of mozzarella on top of pasta.
- Bake until the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes.
Monitoring the liquid absorption rate during the covered simmer prevents the pasta from either scorching on the bottom or turning waterlogged before the starches can hydrate. Uncooked ziti absorbs water continuously as it boils inside the sauce, requiring frequent stirring to distribute released starches evenly and prevent sticking against the metal surface of a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. Adding the dry pasta directly to the tomato base eliminates the separate boiling pot entirely, transferring starch directly into the sauce to yield a naturally thickened coating without flour or cornstarch.
Managing Pasta Hydration and Dairy Integration
Cooking the dry 12 ounces of tubular pasta takes approximately 10 minutes under a tight lid. Stir frequently during this window because starches accumulate rapidly at a full boil. Should the liquid reduce too quickly before the noodles reach an al dente texture, supplement with small splashes of water rather than extra tomato sauce to avoid over-concentrating the acidity. Incorporating half-and-half and grated parmesan immediately after the pasta softens creates a stable emulsion, provided the heat is low enough to prevent curdling the dairy fats. Layering fresh mozzarella over the surface just before transferring the pan to a 500 to 550 degree Fahrenheit broiler ensures proper melting within two to three minutes without scorching the dairy solids.
- Substitute penne or similar short extruded shapes at a one-to-one ratio by weight if ziti is unavailable.
- Monitor the broiler constantly during the final three minutes, as high overhead heat transitions cheese from melted to burned rapidly.
- Keep leftover baked pasta refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.
