Baked Ziti

prep time:: 30 min
total time:: 1 hr and 30 minutes

Makes 4 servings

Baked ziti is a popular baked Italian American casserole dish made with ziti macaroni and sauce. In many recipes, the ziti are first cooked separately while a tomato and cheese sauce is prepared, which may include meat, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and more. The cooked and drained ziti are then combined with the cooked sauce, which may be layered with additional varieties of cheeses, baked in the oven and served hot.

ingredients

1 package ziti pasta
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 (15 ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti-meat sauce
2 cups fat-free mozzarella cheese

directions

1
1. Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C)
2
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta; set aside.
3
3. In a bowl, combine the egg, ricotta and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
4
4. In a 4 quarts baking dish coated with Pam, spread 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce, then pour a third of the pasta, half of the ricotta mixture, 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese, 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese and 1 cup sauce. Repeat layers.
5
5. Top with a full layer of mozzarella cheese.
6
6. Cover and bake for 45-50 minutes or until heated through.
7
7. Uncover and broil for 3 minutes or until cheese browns.