By HAYLEE SAESEE
Staff Writer
Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 27 minutes
Total Time: 57 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ziti pasta, or penne pasta
- 1 lb ground beef, 85% lean
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 5 cups marinara sauce
- 15 oz fresh ricotta
- 10 fresh basil leaves (optional)
- 12 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions:
- Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions until just al-dente then drain.
- In a deep pan or dutch oven, over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onion, breaking up the beef with a spatula, until beef is fully cooked through and onions are softened (5-7 minutes). Add minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper and saute for another minute. Add 5 cups marinara sauce, bring to a simmer and continue cooking for 5 minutes then turn off the heat.
- Spread a Ladle of meat sauce over the bottom of a 9×3 casserole dish.
- Into the remaining sauce, add chopped basil and spoon in ricotta. Add cooked pasta and stir just until the noodles are coated.
- Transfer half of the pasta to the casserole dish. Top with ½ of shredded mozzarella and ½ grated parmesan. Add remaining pasta and top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
- Clear the edges of the pan so the cheese doesn’t burn onto the dish. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Broil 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. Let cool for 5 minutes then garnish with basil if desired and serve.