Baked Ziti
- 1 lb whole-milk cottage cheese (you could use 1 percent, but do NOT use nonfat cottage cheese...it will break when baked)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 ounces parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 lb ziti pasta (or other short, tubular pasta)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce (I like Cento or Pastene)
- 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 12 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 34 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 cup heavy cream (whole milk could be substituted by increasing the cornstarch to 2 teaspoons and increasing the cooki)
- 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups. You could use whole-milk or part-skim mozzarella, but do NOT use the preshredded c)
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Whisk the cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese together in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Bring 4 to 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta; cook, stirring often, until the pasta is just shy of al dente, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and leave in the colander (do not wash the pot).
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and garlic in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Take skillet off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the freshly chopped basil and the sugar; then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir the cornstarch into the heavy cream in a small bowl; transfer the mixture to the now-empty pot (which you didn't clean) and set over medium heat.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup of the prepared tomato sauce, and 3/4 cup of the diced mozzarella; then stir to combine.
- Add the pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and spread the remaining sauce evenly over the pasta mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan over the top.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue to cook until the cheese is bubbling and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer.
- Remove from oven and let set for about 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped basil and serve.
- Mangia!
could, eggs, parmesan cheese, salt, pasta, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, tomato sauce, tomatoes, oregano, fresh basil, sugar, salt, cornstarch, heavy cream, mozzarella cheese
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/baked-ziti-420180 (may not work)