MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

      Title: Baked Ziti
 Categories: Pasta, Cheese, Vegetables, Dairy, Chilies
      Yield: 7 servings

    1/4 c  Olive oil
      1 lg Yellow onion, finely
           - chopped
      4 cl Garlic, fine chopped
           Salt & fresh ground pepper
      2 tb Tomato paste
     28 oz Can whole peeled tomatoes;
           - packed in juice
     28 oz Can tomato purée or sauce
    3/4 ts Red pepper flakes
     16 oz Ricotta
    1/2 c  Heavy cream
    1/2 c  Fine grated Parmesan or
           - Pecorino; more for grating
           - on top
      1 lb Ziti, rigatoni, penne, or
           - manicotti pasta
      1 lb Fresh mozzarella; in 1/2"
           - pieces

  MAKE THE TOMATO SAUCE: Heat oil in a large,
  heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and
  garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring
  occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and
  translucent (without letting it brown), 8 to 10 minutes.
  Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until it
  has turned a deeper brick-red color, tinting the oil and
  onions a fiery orange color, about 2 minutes. Crush the
  whole tomatoes by hand and add them (including the
  juice) and the tomato puree to the pot, stirring to
  scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Season
  with salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes. Bring to
  a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the
  tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come
  together, 20 to 30 minutes.

  PREPARE THE FILLING: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta,
  heavy cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and
  pepper and set aside.

  PREPARE THE PASTA: As the sauce cooks, heat oven to 425
  degrees, and place a large pot of salted water to boil
  on the stove.

  Cook pasta until it's nearly al dente. (You want to
  undercook the pasta slightly, as it will continue to
  cook in the oven. A good way to do this is cook it 2
  minutes less than you normally would if preparing it al
  dente.) Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid,
  drain pasta and rinse with cool water; set aside while
  the tomato sauce finishes cooking.

  Once tomato sauce is done, stir in reserved pasta water.

  Place pasta in a large bowl and add 2 cups sauce. Stir
  to coat pasta evenly encouraging the sauce to go inside
  each tube.

  Spoon a bit of remaining sauce on the bottom of a
  3-quart baking dish and top with 1/3 of the pasta. Spoon
  ? of the remaining sauce on top, dollop with half the
  ricotta mixture and scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella on top
  of that. Repeat, beginning with the pasta, one more
  time. For the final layer, add the last 1/3 of pasta and
  the last of the sauce. Dot remaining mozzarella on top
  and shave a bit more Parmesan on top of that. Place
  baking dish on top of a sheet pan lined with parchment
  paper to catch any drips. Place in the oven and bake
  until the edges are golden brown and bubbling and the
  top has browned nicely, 30 to 40 minutes.

  Let cool slightly before eating with a big green leafy
  salad.

  By: Alison Roman

  Yield: 6 to 8 servings

  RECIPE FROM: https://cooking.nytimes.com

  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives

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