Sunday dinner on a cold winter day is special. Baked Ziti, a classic comfort food, is perfect for this occasion. Serve it with a fresh green salad and toasted garlic bread. You can use traditional pasta or opt for healthier options like whole wheat, protein, or high-fiber pasta. To keep it simple, I use jarred spaghetti sauce, but homemade sauce works well too. Sometimes, I add cooked Italian sausage or meatballs to enhance the flavor. This dish is easy to prepare and ideal for a cozy family meal.

Ingredients

• 18-ounce box of Ziti, cook and drain as directed on the box. Do not rinse
• 3-1/2 cups (32-ounce jar of sauce) spaghetti sauce
• 2 cups of Ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup chopped, fresh parsley
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Process

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Cook pasta according to directions, drain but do not rinse (rinsing pasta prevents sauce from sticking to it).
3. In a large bowl combine ½ cup of spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, fresh parsley, egg, oregano, garlic powder, pepper and 1 tablespoon of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
4. In a 3-quart casserole pour another ½ cup of spaghetti sauce on bottom of dish and spread out with a spatula.
5. Pour contents of ziti mixture into casserole pour remaining spaghetti sauce on top of ziti mixture, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake covered with aluminum foil for 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly

Tagged: dinner, meatballs, Ziti, Past, Sausage, Supper, baked ziti