Sneaky Baked Ziti

Submitted by zoe85

"This recipe came from my new cookbook, I got called The Sneaky Chef. I absolutely love it. My kids will not eat spinach and blueberries. They don't even know it. Highly recommend it to anyone with kids. It looks like a lot of work, but if you spend an afternoon just doing the food purées, freeze them in ziploc sandwich bags then you're set."

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 10

ingredients

• 1 lb ziti pasta (whole wheat preferred) or 1 lb rigatoni pasta (whole wheat preferred)
• 1 cup firm tofu, mashed well (or a 14 ounce block)
• 2 1⁄2 cups store-bought tomato sauce
• 1⁄3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

• orange puree (use 1/2 cup)

• 1 medium sweet potatoes or 1 medium yam, peeled and rough chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into thick chunks
• 2 -3 tablespoons water

• white puree (use 1/2 cup)

• 2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 medium zucchini, peeled and rough chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 -2 tablespoon water, if necessary

directions

1. In a medium pot, cover carrots and potatoes with cold water and boil for about 20 minutes until yams, and especially carrots, are very tender. If the carrots aren’t thoroughly cooked, they’ll leave telltale little nuggets of vegetables, which will reveal their presence (a gigantic no-no for the sneaky chef).
2. Drain the potatoes and carrots and put them in the food processor with two tablespoons of water. Keep on high until the orange purée is smooth; no pieces of carrots or potatoes should remain. Stop occasionally to push the contents from the top to the bottom.
3. If necessary, use the third tablespoon of water to make a smoother purée, but the less water the better. This makes about 2 cups of orange purée.
4. Double the recipe if you want to store another cup of purée. Store in refrigerator up to three days, or freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.
5. Steam cauliflower in a vegetable steamer over 2 inches of water, using a tightly-covered pot, for about 10 to 12 minutes until very tender. Alternatively, place cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with water, and microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes until very tender.
6. While waiting for the cauliflower to finish steaming, start to pulse the raw peeled zucchini with the lemon juice only (no water at this point). Drain the cooked cauliflower. Working in batches if necessary, add it to the pulsed zucchini in the bowl of the food processor with one tablespoon of water. Purée on high until smooth. Stop occasionally and push contents from the top to the bottom. If necessary, use the second tablespoon of water to make a smooth (but not wet) purée.
7. Makes about 2 cups of purée. Double recipe if you want to store even more, which can be done in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or the small plastic containers.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 13-by-9 glass baking dish with oil.
9. Cook pasta according to package directions or until slightly firm. Drain and place in the prepared baking dish. Before continuing with the baked ziti begin making the Orange and White Purée.
10. Mix tofu, tomato sauce, White and Orange Purees in a bowl. Toss pasta with the sauce mixture and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top the pasta with a combination of the parmesan and the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, sprinkling evenly over the top.
11. Cover ziti with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.