Take a picture of this dish and put it on the wall because it deserves the highest praise! Hall of Fame Baked Ziti has a blue-ribbon homemade meat marinara enriched with Italian seasonings and the mellow sweetness of tomatoes, as well as a creamy, tangy cheese layer right in its ooey-gooey center. Layer upon layer of tender pasta ensures that every bite of the top-notch sauce and cheese arrives at your tastebuds. With even more cheese melted on top, Hall of Fame Baked Ziti certainly takes home the gold. Your next party will be a top-rated affair, that’s for sure!
Ingredients
For the tomato sauce:
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large carrot, finely diced
- 1 stick celery, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 (14-ounce) jars of tomato basil sauce
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
For the cream sauce:
- 1 cup cream cheese, softened, or ricotta
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 4-8 tablespoons reserved cooking water from the pasta
For the pasta:
- 16 ounces ziti, cooked, drained with 1/2 cup cooking water reserved, and cooled
For the cheese:
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, shredded
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 3 –Add the crumbled sausage and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 4 –Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 5 –Stir the tomato paste and the Italian seasoning into the sausage mixture.
Step 6 –Add the tomato sauce to the tomato paste mixture.
Step 7 –Simmer the mixture on low heat for 5 minutes.
Step 8 –In a medium bowl, stir the cream cheese, salt, pepper, and reserved cooking water together. Start with only 2 tablespoons of the cooking water to start, adding more until you end up with a thick, smooth sauce.
Step 9 –Spread a spoonful of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
Step 10 –Add 1/2 of the pasta to the casserole dish, spreading it evenly.
Step 11 –Add 1/3 of the mozzarella.
Step 12 –Spread the cream sauce on top of the mozzarella layer.
Step 13 –Add 1/2 of the meat sauce to the casserole.
Step 14 –Add the remaining pasta in an even layer.
Step 15 –Sprinkle the pasta layer with 1/3 of the mozzarella.
Step 16 –Top with the remaining meat sauce.
Step 17 –Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and the parmesan.
Step 18 –Bake until the cheeses are melted and the casserole is bubbly, for about 25-30 minutes.
Step 19 –Serve hot.
