Over-the-Top Baked Ziti Recipe

By dette

I adapted a ziti recipe to remove ingredients my kids did not like, such as ground beef, garlic and onions. The revised recipe was not only a success with my family, but a potlucks, too. It is also very versatile. You can use jarred sauce, double or triple the recipe and it freezes well. —Kimberley Pitman, Smyrna, Delaware Field Editor

Ingredients

• ZITI:
• Ingredients
• 2 cans (29 ounces each) tomato puree
• 1 can (12 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 package (16 ounces) ziti
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 carton (15 ounces) reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 40mins

Preparation

Step 1

Directions
In a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker, combine the first ten ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
Cook ziti according to package directions. In a large bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper and 5 cups sauce. Drain ziti; stir into cheese mixture.
Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining sauce over the top; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 8 servings.