Whole Wheat Baked Ziti
If you have ever been to an Italian party (I usually picture these as those big outdoor summer time cookouts) you have had the lukewarm, yet delicious Baked Ziti. Now, the main ingredients... Ziti (Rigatoni, most likely), tomato sauce, Ricotta, and topped with mozzarella make up the core tenets of any good Ziti. But there are ways to make it fresh, delicious, and lighter than anything Grandma ever served!
Ingredients
The portions here are for at least 8, I usually make about 1/4 of this for myself and leftovers!
1 Pound (1 box) of whole wheat Rigatoni, Fusilli, or Penne
1 Cup of Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
1 1/2 Cups grated Part Skim Mozzarella
1 Cup of grated Parmesan
1 1/2-2 cups of Tomato Sauce I like to use homemade (recipe separate), but a jar of works just as well!
4 cloves of garlic
Shredded Basil and parsley for seasoning and garnish
Red Pepper Flakes for seasoning
Recipe
Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
Boil water for pasta and salt generously. Cook pasta just past al dente
In a large mixing bowl, combine, Ricotta, tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, basil, and garlic.
Add cooked pasta to cheese-sauce mixture and stir until well combined.
Pour mixture into a casserole dish or pan that is oven safe. Prior to having a casserole dish, I would mix in a pot and place the entire thing in the oven! It's all about being resourceful!
Top pasta with Mozzarella and Parmesan.
Place in over and cook for up to 20 minutes. I hate crunchy pasta so I usually only cook 5-10 minutes, just enough for the top layer of cheese to melt together and cook through.
Season with remaining basil and parsley and serve!
This is an easy rendition of an Italian classic, one that does not have to be loaded down fats and carbs. However, this is the outline, feel free to add and subtract to this recipe as much as you like. Some people will add ground beef or ground turkey, onion, or peppers. Play around with this to suit your guests and enjoy!