Creamy Baked Ziti

Submitted by Ashley L.

"I had a favorite restaurant in Chevy Chase, MD that made wonderful ziti. I've tried to duplicate it. This is my best effort. It's my absolute favorite recipe."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 10mins
• Ingredients: 17
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 6 cups mozzarella cheese
• 16 ounces ziti pasta

• Marinara Sauce

• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3⁄4 cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

• Besciamella Sauce

• 6 1⁄2 tablespoons butter
• 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg

directions

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2. Place olive oil and red wine in sauce pan on medium heat.
3. Stir in tomato paste first.
4. Add rest of ingredients.
5. Simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, heat milk in a saucepan until it is steaming. Do not boil.
7. While milk is heating, melt butter in a seperate saucepan.
8. Whisk flour into melted butter. Let cook on medium for about 5 minutes. Keep whisking.
9. Once milk is steaming, whisk into butter and flour mixture a cup at a time. It will become thicker as you whisk.
10. After all milk is added, bring to a boil for 30 seconds constantly stirring.
11. Remove from heat.
12. Stir in salt and nutmeg.
13. Place half of the cooked ziti noodles on bottom of large casserole dish.
14. Spoon on half of the marinara sauce.
15. Spoon on half of the besciamella sauce.
16. Top with half of mozerella cheese.
17. Repeat.
18. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Your cheese should brown and bubble.

Reviews

[Lt. Amy]

Decadent and very yummy. I used half the amount of cheese and half the amount of besciamella sauce called for in the recipe and it was still very good. The marinara sauce is especially good and I think I'll use it again in other recipes.

 

[lynnape323]

I have not made this recipe but I have been fortunate enough to have eaten this dish that Ashley fixed. It is absolutely wonderful!!!! She needs to share her Italian Cream Cake recipe also.