Happy first day of spring! Spring, the season of renewal, of hope, of wonder. The return of the lush green landscape, flowering trees and bushes, and perennials and annuals are just the prelude to what lies ahead. With time already moving much too fast (a perception that comes with age), spring seems to be Mother Nature's reminder for us to take a deep breath, enjoy, and take in only what lies before us, not what lies ahead of us. This could be the year I actually listen to and heed this wisdom as reminders from multiple other sources haven't seem to work. Anything is possible or so some say.
Whenever visiting friends I always like to bring a hostess gift to show my appreciation for their generosity, kindness and friendship. Sometimes these gifts are homemade, sometimes store bought or sometimes a combination of both. On my recent trip to Arizona I decided to do both. For the homemade gift I brought a roasted eggplant parmesan casserole (had it not been able to go through security at the airport I would have been beside myself). The homemade marinara used in the casserole has been my go-to favorite for awhile now. Then I made the marinara for the Baked Ziti. If I had a throw down with these two sauces I am not sure which one would win, it might just be a tie.
This Baked Ziti has two sauces, a marinara and a béchamel. These sauces along with the fresh mozzarella and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano turn what may seem like on the surface, a simple, no big deal pasta casserole, into one that is over-the-top, insanely delicious.
There were some nuanced changes made to Bon Appetit's Best Baked Ziti recipe. Instead of using only whole peeled tomatoes, I used a combination of diced and whole peeled (San Marzano) tomatoes. Rather than puree the marinara sauce in the food processor or with an immersion blender, I used a potato masher which had the added benefit of allowing the marinara to retain some of its' texture. Being someone who loves the flavor of garlic, I couldn't help myself and had to use 6 instead of 4 cloves of garlic. In following the recipe as written, I would change the order of making the béchamel and marinara sauces the next time I make it. Instead of making the béchamel first and marinara second, I would reverse that order. More about why later.
Once you start making your own marinara sauce you will never ever again buy it in a jar. Pancetta (Italian bacon), a chopped Spanish onion, minced garlic and Aleppo pepper form the base layer of this sauce. The tomato paste and tomatoes form the second layer and freshly chopped basil is the third and final layer.
As these ingredients simmer for 25-30 minutes all of these flavors come together to form a rich, deeply flavored marinara sauce.
The finished Baked Ziti should have had more streaks of béchamel sauce in it. In mixing all but one cup of the marinara sauce with the pasta mixed with the béchamel in a large bowl, I wasn't able to keep the 'streaks' when I transferred it to a 9"x13" inch casserole dish. Next time I will transfer the pasta without the marinara sauce into the pan and then 'streak' it in.
The remaining cup of the marinara is dolloped over the top of the casserole. A half-cup (2 ounces) of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is the finishing touch.
The dish is baked in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until the mozzarella cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling (Note: the Bon Appetit recipe indicated this took 15-20 minutes). Instead of using the broiler, I increased the oven temperature to 500 degrees (F) and baked the casserole for an additional 4-5 minutes to brown the cheese and top of the pasta in spots. Allow the dish to sit for five minutes before serving.
If you are looking for a dish to celebrate the beginning of spring or any occasion, to bring across the country (if frozen it should get through security), to make for Sunday dinner, to make for Saturday night dinner, or to make for a friend to brighten their day, consider making this relatively simple, yet elegant Baked Ziti. Served with a salad and great bottle of wine, you have the makings of a memorable meal. To make this dish even heartier, add some cooked Italian sausage or homemade meatballs before baking in the oven or serve them on the side. Buon Appetito!
Baked Ziti (Inspired by Bon Appetit's Best Baked Ziti recipe)
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk, slightly warmed
2 1/2 cups (9 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
kosher salt/black pepper
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce pancetta, finely chopped
1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped
4 - 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes)
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
28 ounce can of diced San Marzano tomatoes
14 ounce can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2"pieces
1 pound ziti, rigatoni or penne
Note: Can use all diced San Marzano tomatoes or all whole San Marzano tomatoes.
Optional: Can add one pound of cooked Italian sausage or homemade meatballs to the casserole before baking.
Directions
1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high. Add pancetta, cooking until golden brown (about 2 minutes).
2. Add chopped onion, chopped garlic and Aleppo pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onions have softened and become golden (7-10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and cook, continuously stirring until paste slightly darkens (approximately 2 minutes).
3. Add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Crush tomatoes with a potato masher. With heat on simmer, cook, stirring often until flavors have melded (approximately 20-25 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in chopped basil and allow to cool slightly. Set aside. Note: For a smoother sauce, puree in a food processor or with an immersion blender.
4. Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until foamy. Sprinkle four over, whisking constantly for 1 minute.
5. Gradually whisk in slightly warmed milk. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until béchamel is thickened to the consistency of heavy cream (about 8-10 minutes). Note: Stir often.
6. Remove from heat and add 2 cups of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Stir until cheese has melted. Transfer béchamel to large bowl and set aside.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
8. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until very al dente (5-7 minutes). Pasta will continue to cook in sauce in the oven. Drain pasta.
9. Add pasta and chopped mozzarella to bechamel sauce. Stir to combine. Transfer to a 9"x13" baking dish.
10. Remove one cup of marinara sauce from pan. Gently stir in remaining marinara sauce into casserole dish, leaving streaks of béchamel sauce.
11. Dollop remaining marinara sauce over dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
12. Bake until mozzarella has melted and sauce is bubbling over the edges. Approximately 30-40 minutes.
13. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees and bake until pasta and cheese are dark brown in spots (approximately 4-5 minutes). Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Mission San Xavier del Bac (White Dove of the Desert) in Tucson, Arizona
