Baked Ziti with Tomato and Mozzarella

17/11/2023

Baked Ziti with Tomato and Mozzarella is a classic of Italian cuisine, a rich and flavorful dish that always wins everyone over at the table. Here is the recipe for you.

Ingredients

400 g of Ziti (or other suitable long pasta for baking, such as penne or rigatoni)
500 ml of tomato puree
250 g of fiordilatte mozzarella (or buffalo mozzarella)
80 g of grated Parmesan cheese
1 small onion
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Fresh basil (a few leaves)
Butter (for greasing the baking dish)

Preparation

Prepare the tomato sauce by sautéing the finely chopped onion in a pan with the extra virgin olive oil until it becomes translucent.
Add the tomato puree, salt, pepper, some hand-torn basil leaves, and cook on medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the Ziti for about half the time specified on the package; they should be very al dente since they will finish cooking in the oven.
Drain the pasta and pour it into a large bowl, dress it with half of the prepared tomato sauce and half of the grated Parmesan, mixing well.
Cut the mozzarella into cubes and let it drain to remove the excess whey.
Grease a baking dish suitable for oven use with butter and pour in a layer of pasta. Distribute some of the mozzarella cubes on top.
Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used up, finishing with the tomato sauce and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200° C and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the surface is golden and crispy.
Remove from the oven and let the Baked Ziti rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the flavors to settle.

Little curiosity: traditionally, in Neapolitan festive occasions, the Ziti were hand-broken before cooking. This gesture was symbolic and meant that for that special event there was time to prepare the meal calmly and with dedication, taking care of every detail.