Delicious Baked Ziti
 

Ingredients:

- 1lb ground beef (I get ground sirloin from the butcher's case, costs the same as the leanest ground beef)
- one whole yellow onion, diced
- 8 ounces button (common) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
- fresh basil, chopped
- large can/normal plastic container of tomato sauce
- 16 ounce container of ziti
- Mozzarella cheese
- the usual salt/pepper/etc


Start out by browning the ground sirloin/beef in a large pan, drain the excess water/fat. Add garlic, onions, onions, mushrooms. If you can't figure out how to get this far you are ------- stupid.

Open your marinara/sauce of choice:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...i/625515-1.jpg




Mix the sauce into the ground beef mixture - after beef is browned and drained, this is the only pic I had:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...i/Photo_11.jpg




Next, chop up some fresh basil. I love fresh basil. It makes the ziti taste fresh, and lends a natural sweetness.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...i/Photo_12.jpg




Add the basil to the sauce, let it simmer on low heat:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...i/Photo_13.jpg




Now, while the sauce is cooking, let's start the ziti itself. It's important to UNDERCOOK the ziti since it will be spending 25-45 minutes in the oven, most ziti directions say 8 minutes vs the "normal" 10 minute pasta cook time, but I prefer less than that.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...i/623074-1.jpg




Bang bang boogie:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...i/Photo_15.jpg




Now, while the ziti simmers, slice up your block of mozzarella into thin slabs, or just use grated. I prefer the slabs as they make everything super cheesy, but I also stole some grated from Hitchhikkr as I am an -------. That's how I roll:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...i/Photo_16.jpg




When the ziti is cooked - drain it - and put half of it into a deep baking or casserole dish. Pour half of the sauce on top of it, and layer that with half of the cheese. Put the other half of the ziti on top of this, finish it with the last of the sauce, and then top with the rest of the cheese. It should look like this:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...i/Photo_17.jpg




Now, if you are immediately tossing this into the oven go for 325-350 degrees for ~25 minutes, until the cheese is a nice golden brown. I've "prepared" ziti to this stage before + then stuck it into the oven for the kid to cook when she gets hungry; when cold it takes more like 45 minutes for the ziti to cook through. The finished product should look like this:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...i/Photo_18.jpg

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

Well done Davis. I just made cOmpl3x's pirogie cassy a couple nights ago.

Today I made some chedder, cream cheese, and ricotta cheese.

Now I plan on makeing this the next time I have any guests of any pestiege.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

ok

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

wtf?!?!

why haven't heard/seen ziti pasta before?? ---- looks like some cheesy goodness. so ziti is like penne pasta?

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

damn..


i need to post my wifes alfredo

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

I suspect it's an east coast American-Italian thing. Ziti is a sliiiightly smaller tube than penne, no ridges on the outside, and straight cut ends instead of angled like American penne - penne in Italy comes in long "quills" that are broken into the familiar lengths by hand before cooking.

I know more about food than I do about cooking, sadly. Do you like wine?

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

That looks delicious! I'm lazy I just buy the Rao's sauce in the jar. Save me a plate I will probably be driving down for thanksgiving weekend to see my in laws.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

Deal.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

That looks good. I'm hungry now :(

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

yeah love wine. took a couple classes. just cant afford it


lately i'm been getting drunk off it cuz trader joe's sells two buck chuck. that means i get drunk every night for 2 dollars. what a deal.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

damn jd that looks pretty ------- good reminds me of a cheap ass lasagna ill have to make a trhead soon on my lasagna shits the bizzonmb but ill def give that shizzle a try..and yeah i def like wine not some kuch the expensive ---- but more like the sweet 8 dollar ---- liek yellow tail and wat not..

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

hunger get what hunger want :7

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

So it's not pigeon, buk. Relax.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

+1 and looks fairly easy to pull off....I'm gonna try it sometime...

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

i thought everyone knew what ziti is. I love that ----, i typicaly just go to the italian resturant and order it...

My special touch to it, is when you are layering the ziti, throw some peporoni in with it.... and on the top aswell... dont go crazzy cause it will easily overpower the ziti, but it dose add a good taste...

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

Pepperoni is pretty strong, I can't stand pepperoni pizza as it's acidic as hell but I like it blended with other toppings. Pepperoni might be a good addition since I have some veggies in there, I'll try that next time. :y

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

You are quite the house wife JD.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

Joseph Davis can rape your mom, make you food, and tune your car all at the same time.

Im hungover and that looks ------- awesome.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

You cant rape the willing

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

Stop that, it will not catch on.

















.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

BAN

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

LOL

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

Ricotta cheese.............????

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

well i saw this and its what i wanted for dinner... so

Attachment 13022
Attachment 13023

it was bad ass.. used about half the pepperoni but if your not a big fan like JD, 1/3 would be plenty to get the flavor...

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

yay for san gringo

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

looks dam nice

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

The only thing ricotta is worth a ---- for is making cheese cake.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

I beg to differ. It's great for smearing on hotrex's mom's tits while she calls you Tonetti.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

Im not a ricotta cheese fan, but I love fresh grated Parmesan, Locatelli, or Romano.

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

see jd, stop beating urself up. mutherfuckers love ur post.

imma make baked ziti for family meal at work tomorrow. woot woot

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

Actually I've been beating up other people over it.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...k/Photo_11.jpg



Now, I know my recipe has some down home comfort food appeal, but it's not polished nor do I have a solid grasp of flavor combinations like a true chef. If you come up with any improvements let me know. :6

Re: Delicious Baked Ziti
 

parsley, oregano, garlic, msg, beef flavorings (bullion or whatnot) paprika, chili powder

could add any or all of those and maybe add more tasty, depends on your tastings