Baked Ziti with Pesto

Name: Baked Ziti with Pesto
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, European
Ingredients: 1 bay leaf; 2 Tbsps cooking oil; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoons fresh-ground black pepper; 355 milliliters grated, packaged mozzarella cheese; 1 onion, chopped; 79 milliliters grated Parmesan cheese; 59 milliliters store-bought or homemade pesto; 237 milliliters ricotta cheese; 0 teaspoons salt; 473 milliliters canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree; 227 grams ziti

Baked Ziti with Pesto might be a good recipe to expand your main course repertoire. This recipe makes 4 servings with 625 calories, 28g of protein, and 33g of fat each. This recipe covers 20% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. If you have bay leaf, fresh-ground pepper, onion, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes about 45 minutes.

Instructions

Heat the oven to 35

Equipment you will use

Oven

Oil an 8-by-8-inch baking dish.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Baking Pan

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta for 7 minutes. It will be partially cooked.

Ingredients you will need

Pasta

Water

Equipment you will use

Pot

Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again thoroughly.

Ingredients you will need

Water

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Onion

Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Ingredients you will need

Garlic

Add the tomatoes, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat and cook until very thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.

Ingredients you will need

Bay Leaves

Tomato

Pepper

Salt

Remove the bay leaf.

Ingredients you will need

Bay Leaves

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, about half the Parmesan, the pesto, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Ingredients you will need

Mozzarella

Parmesan

Ricotta Cheese

Pepper

Pesto

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Put half of the cooked pasta into the prepared baking dish and top with about a third of the tomato sauce.

Ingredients you will need

Cooked Pasta

Tomato Sauce

Equipment you will use

Baking Pan

Spread the ricotta mixture on the sauce in an even layer. Cover with the remaining pasta and then the remaining sauce. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan.

Ingredients you will need

Mozzarella

Parmesan

Ricotta Cheese

Sauce

Pasta

Drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Oil

Bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Let sit 10 minutes before cutting.

Wine Recommendation: This boldly flavored dish needs a rustic red wine to stand up to it. A Salice Salentino from the south of Italy or a Corbires or Cahors from France will serve well.

Ingredients you will need

Wine

Equipment

Ingredients

Servings:

bay leaf 2Tbsps

cooking oil 2cloves

garlic, minced 1teaspoons

fresh-ground black pepper 355milliliters

grated, packaged mozzarella cheese 1

onion, chopped 79milliliters

grated Parmesan cheese 59milliliters

store-bought or homemade pesto 237milliliters

ricotta cheese 0teaspoons

salt 473milliliters

canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree 227grams

ziti

Recommended wine: Chianti, Trebbiano, Verdicchio

Italian works really well with Chianti, Trebbiano, and Verdicchio. Italians know food and they know wine. Trebbiano and Verdicchio are Italian white wines that pair well with fish and white meat, while Chianti is a great Italian red for heavier, bolder dishes. One wine you could try is Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico ( Half-bottle). It has 4.2 out of 5 stars and a bottle costs about 13 dollars.