Killer Ziti

By srumbel

This Ziti has been requested every single supper since the supper I first made it about a week ago. My goal was to have an incredibly flavorful, saucy Ziti that went a little beyond the norm and I am really thrilled with how this one turned out. The family agreed this should be called Killer Ziti and I have to admit that I’ve been wanting it again myself, so I’m making it again tonight. They won out – or maybe I did. I guess in the end, we’d really have to lay the blame on the Ziti. The trick is the double sauces and the very large amount of sauce. You are going to think “Wow, this is way too much sauce” but we are actually only half cooking our ziti and it is going to cook the rest of the way in the dish and soak up some of that loveliness. I generally don’t like oven baked marinara pasta dishes for the very reason that they never seem to have the amount of sauce you want, so this dish defies that and delivers what I crave!
from southernplate.com

Ingredients

• 16 ounce box Ziti noodles
• 1/2 package pepperoni (about 1 cup)
• 1 pound italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 14 ounce jar pizza sauce
• 45 ounce jar spaghetti sauce of your choice
• 3 cups mozzarella

Details

Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 40mins

Preparation

Step 1

Cook ziti according to package directions, cutting cooking time in half. Once half cooked, drain in a colander and pour cold water over to stop the cooking process. Set aside and allow to drain fully.
In large skillet, place sausage, onion, and garlic. Chop and stir often over medium heat until fully browned and no longer pink in the center. Remove to a large bowl. (If there is grease, drain).
Coarsely chop pepperoni and add to sausage. Add entire jar of pizza sauce and ½ of the spaghetti sauce along with partially cooked noodles. Stir until mixture is well combined.
Spread half of remaining spaghetti sauce in bottom of 3.5 or 4 quart dish (9x13 works well). Top this with ½ of pasta mixture. Sprinkle half of cheese on top. Top that with remaining mixture and spread top with remaining spaghetti sauce. Finish with remaining cheese. Bake at 350, uncovered, for thirty minutes.
Enjoy!