Meatball and Ziti Bake

By mstorm13

Whole-wheat pasta holds up well in this cheesy, saucy pasta bake.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces uncooked whole-wheat ziti
• 1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 12 ounces 90% lean ground sirloin
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 (28-ounce) can unsalted crushed tomatoes
• 2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)

Details

Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat broiler to high.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl; reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

3. Place panko, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper, beef, and egg in a bowl, stirring just until combined. Shape beef mixture into 12 (1-inch) meatballs. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add meatballs to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add remaining 1 tablespoon garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons basil, crushed red pepper, and tomatoes to pan. Reduce heat to medium; cover and simmer 15 minutes.

4. Stir pasta into tomato mixture; spread evenly in skillet. Sprinkle cheese over top; broil 1 minute or until cheese melts. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon basil.