Shindig 411

Here’s an easy pasta recipe for casual entertaining,

compliments of Elizabeth W. Gift Baskets.

BAKED ZITI

Your dinner guests will think you’ve been cooking all day when you serve up this hearty pasta made with “Kinda Homemade Marinara Sauce.” Adding a little red wine and fresh garlic to jazz up jarred sauce saves time and fills the house with tantalizing made-from-scratch aromas. I keep my pantry stocked with dried ziti and jars of sauce (I prefer Ragu Old World Style Traditional because it has less added salt) so I’ll always have a go-to dish to make when unexpected guests end up staying for dinner. Add a crisp green salad, a loaf of crusty bread, and a bottle of red and you’ve got a meal!

INGREDIENTS

(Makes 6 to 8 servings)

1 pound dried ziti pasta

3 ¾ to 4 cups Kinda Homemade Marinara Sauce (recipe follows)

¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided

1 pound mozzarella, preferably fresh, half cut into ½ – inch cubes and half thinly sliced

1 (15-ounce) tub of ricotta cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

Salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.
2. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a thin layer (about ¾ cup) of marinara sauce. In a large bowl (or the pasta cooking pot) toss together the cooked pasta, the rest of the sauce, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, and the cubed mozzarella pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer the pasta mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan. Cover the top of the pasta with the mozzarella slices.
4. Mix together the ricotta cheese and beaten egg; season with salt & pepper to taste. Stir until well combined. Spoon the ricotta in large dollops on top of the pasta, covering the surface. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and hot. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

KINDA HOMEMADE MARINARA SAUCE

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 large cloves finely chopped garlic and a generous pinch of crushed red pepper. Saute for about 30 seconds. (Don’t let the garlic get brown.) Add 1/3 cup of red wine and let simmer until the alcohol burns off and the liquid is reduced by half, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in 4 cups jarred red sauce. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add fresh chopped herbs such as oregano or basil, if desired. Sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.

CHECK OUT OUR VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT BASKETS!