Baked Ziti (Pasta Bake)
WITH Sarah McCarthy
Dinner/Lunch • 60 Minutes • Serves: 6 • Cost: $17.00 ($2.90 Per Serve)
Baked Ziti is a baked pasta that’s loaded with flavour from seasonings and cheese. Cosy winter food that’s easy to whip up for a midweek dinner with friends and family. It’s also another reliable freezer-friendly meal. Pasta is a great carbohydrate source, packed with fibre that can improve heart health.
INGREDIENTS
- 300g ziti or penne pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 500g beef mince
- 700g tomato passata
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 1 cup parmesan , freshly grated (optional)
- Finely chopped parsley or basil (optional garnish)
- Seasonings: 1 tbsp paprika (plain or sweet), 1 tsp chilli flakes, 2 tsp onion powder
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- Cook ziti for the recommended cooking time on the packet minus 2 minutes. Drain, then return to pot.
- Heat oil in a large pan over high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until onion is translucent.
- Add meat and cook, breaking it up as you go.
- When it is just cooked, add seasonings and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add passata, water and basil. Bring to simmer, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour about 2 cups of the pasta water into the pot, turn up to medium heat until sauce thickens.
- Spread pasta into baking dish and pour 2 cups of the sauce with the pasta, toss.
- Dollop with ricotta. Pour over remaining sauce. Top with cheese and parmesan.
- Cover loosely with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, bake further 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is golden.
- Sprinkle with parsley or basil if desired, then serve!
