Baked Ziti Casserole Recipe

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Ready in: 1-2 hrs
recipe difficulty 4/5

Difficulty: 4 (1=easiest :: hardest=5)

Serves/Makes: 8

Ingredients:
1/4 cup salad or olive oil
1 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlice, crushed
1 can (2 lbs size) Italian Tomatoes (or may use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce)
1 can (6 oz. size) tomato paste
1 1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 package (1 lb. size) ziti (macaroni)
***Cheese Layer***
2 cartons (15 oz size) Ricotta Cheese
1 package (8oz size) mozzarella cheese, diced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons Chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese (grated) for topping

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Directions:

To make sauce: In large pot (preferably 6+ qt Pot), saute onion and garlic 'til golden brown. This should take about 9 or 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with the liquid, (or your can of crushed tomatoes, or can of sauce, depending upon which product you chose to use), tomato paste, water, parsley, salt, sugar, oregano, basil, pepper. Mix this well. Mash tomatoes with fork (if used the Italian tomatoes instead of sauce etc). Simmer, coveredfor one hour, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook box of ziti following directions on package.

To make cheese layer: In large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, 1/3 cup of the parmesan, eggs, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Beat with wooden spoon until blended. Spoon a some sauce into 5 qt casserole. Place a third of the ziti as the bottom layer,then the cheese mixture, then the remaining sauce. Sprinkle sauce with 1 Tbsp Parmesan.

Repeat again twice. Bake, uncovered, 45-50 minutes, or until center bubbles.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Baked Ziti Casserole serves/makes 8