It's pasta night! If we had an Italian grandmother, this would be her secret recipe. Every true Italian family has a recipe for Baked Ziti, each one better than the next. Ours is a blend of tangy marinara sauce and rich bechamel married with savory Italian sausage. We believe it rivals any grandmother's recipe. And, even better, ours is a great make ahead! We like to make ours on a lazy Sunday afternoon and bake it off on a busy weeknight for a quick and hearty meal. Cozy and delicious, this dish will warm you on a cool October evening. Serve with a glass of wine, a crisp salad and a warm, cozy fire.
45 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 pound ground Italian sausage (turkey sausage works too)
1/2 pound (8 oz.) ziti pasta (We like Barilla!)
1 24 ounce jar marinara sauce (Yes, you can make your own, but in the interest of time, we chose Trader Joe's Organic Marinara sauce.)
2 1/2 cups bechamel sauce (recipe below)
2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
Bechamel Sauce:
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
2 cups lowfat milk
1 tsp. garlic salt
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly with a wire whisk. When thick paste forms, add 1/2 cup milk. Stir constantly. Cook for 3 minutes until sauce thickens and begins to slightly bubble. Add another 1/2 cup milk. Stir for 3 minutes until bubbly. Add another 1/2 cup milk. As
sauce begins to thicken, add garlic salt. Reduce heat to low and add last 1/2 cup of milk. Simmer for 3 minutes.
Make Dinner:
Preheat ovento 375 degrees.
In a large frying pan brown Italian sausage over medium high heat on stovetop. When sausage is cooked through, drain oil.
While sausage is cooking, boil pasta in 2 quarts of salted water in a medium pasta pot. Cook according to package directions until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain water from pasta.
Return pasta to pot and add marinara sauce. Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes until sauce begins to simmer. Add bechamel sauce and mix well until sauce is creamy. Add ground sausage.
Spray 10 x 10 baking dish with cooking spray and pour pasta mixture into dish. Sprinkle pasta evenly with mozzarella cheese and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5-7 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Serve with fresh green salad.
45 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 pound ground Italian sausage (turkey sausage works too)
1/2 pound (8 oz.) ziti pasta (We like Barilla!)
1 24 ounce jar marinara sauce (Yes, you can make your own, but in the interest of time, we chose Trader Joe's Organic Marinara sauce.)
2 1/2 cups bechamel sauce (recipe below)
2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
Bechamel Sauce:
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
2 cups lowfat milk
1 tsp. garlic salt
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly with a wire whisk. When thick paste forms, add 1/2 cup milk. Stir constantly. Cook for 3 minutes until sauce thickens and begins to slightly bubble. Add another 1/2 cup milk. Stir for 3 minutes until bubbly. Add another 1/2 cup milk. As
sauce begins to thicken, add garlic salt. Reduce heat to low and add last 1/2 cup of milk. Simmer for 3 minutes.
Make Dinner:
Preheat ovento 375 degrees.
In a large frying pan brown Italian sausage over medium high heat on stovetop. When sausage is cooked through, drain oil.
While sausage is cooking, boil pasta in 2 quarts of salted water in a medium pasta pot. Cook according to package directions until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain water from pasta.
Return pasta to pot and add marinara sauce. Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes until sauce begins to simmer. Add bechamel sauce and mix well until sauce is creamy. Add ground sausage.
Spray 10 x 10 baking dish with cooking spray and pour pasta mixture into dish. Sprinkle pasta evenly with mozzarella cheese and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5-7 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Serve with fresh green salad.
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