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Baked Ziti with Italian Flavors

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PREP TIME
20 min
COOKING TIME
105 min
TOTAL TIME
140 min
SERVINGS
10 servings
Dinner Italian
Baked Ziti with Italian Flavors
Ingredients
  • 3/4 pound hot Italian sausage
  • 3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 2 (24 ounce) jars prepared marinara sauce
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta
  • 1 drizzle olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, or to taste
Instructions
1
Gather all the necessary ingredients and prepare them for cooking. Slice each sausage into smaller pieces using a sharp knife, then remove the casings and discard them.
2
Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large saucepan placed over high heat. Add the sliced sausages and onion to the pan, stirring occasionally with a spatula as you break up any clumps. Continue cooking until the sausages start to turn a golden brown color and the onion becomes translucent, taking around 5-7 minutes.
3
Add some dried oregano, thyme, and rosemary to the pan and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
4
Next, pour in a store-bought marinara sauce. To rinse out any remaining sauce from the jars, add 1 cup of water to each jar and then pour it into the saucepan. Stir everything together and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
5
Reduce the heat to a lower setting, around medium-low, and let the sauce simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. At this point, taste the seasoning and adjust it as needed to suit your preferences.
6
Turn off the heat source and set the sauce aside until you're ready to use it. Before serving, skim off any excess fat that rises to the surface of the sauce.
7
While the sauce is simmering, boil a large amount of salted water in a pot. Add the ziti pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes - slightly less than the package instructions recommend.
8
Drain the pasta well and transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
9
Now, carefully pour half of the meat sauce into the prepared casserole dish. Use a spatula to spread it evenly and make sure it's in a uniform layer.
10
Next, add half of the ricotta cheese, half of the mozzarella cheese, and half of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese on top. Make sure to distribute these ingredients evenly.
11
Pour the remaining pasta and sauce mixture over the cheese, then use a spatula to spread it evenly. Repeat the layering process by adding another half of each cheese type on top.
12
Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven, which has been set to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is piping hot, taking around 30-35 minutes.
13
Once done, remove the dish from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. Finally, garnish with some fresh parsley to complete the dish.