Baked Beef Ziti

By adlee24

POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 50 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

If you thought you couldn't indulge in your fattening favorites and still lose weight, you'll be thrilled to know that baked ziti is not a thing of the past. Our version gets rave reviews on our community boards.

Ingredients

• 12 oz uncooked ziti
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
• 1/3 pound(s) raw lean ground beef
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preparation

Step 1

* Preheat oven to 350°F.

* Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

* Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.

* Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

* Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface); top with half of cooked ziti. Next, layer with half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining ziti and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.