You possibly can by no means have too many pasta bake recipes bookmarked. Whether or not you’re meal-prepping for one or planning to serve a small crowd, a well-made pasta bake is the very essence of the last word crowd-pleasing consolation meals, assured to convey pleasure wherever it’s served. Baked ziti, particularly, is a basic bake, with origins in Southern Italy, the place it is generally known as ziti al forno. This mouthwatering dish, which is loved at particular events, can comprise all kinds of elements, although it usually includes meats, a tomato sauce, and cheese. It is that timelessly interesting marriage of sauce and melty cheese that makes the dish so interesting, and there are methods to customise the mix to extend the dietary worth of this comforting meal with out sacrificing any of the flavour.

This high-protein baked ziti with cottage cheese recipe, from the kitchen of recipe developer Jennine Rye, takes all of the deliciousness of a baked ziti dish and ramps up the protein content material. Good for anybody wanting to extend their consumption of protein, this recipe makes use of a mix of lean beef and pork together with loads of cottage cheese to convey you a protein-rich model of a basic dish. The herby tomato sauce, with each passata and puree, has brightness and depth in addition to a kick of warmth from chile flakes, and mozzarella combines with the cottage cheese for that all-important gooey tacky meltiness.

To start, collect the elements. For the meat sauce, you want olive oil, an onion, garlic, floor beef, floor pork, tomato passata, tomato puree, beef inventory, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, chile flakes, granulated sugar, and salt and pepper for seasoning. For the cottage cheese combination, you want cottage cheese, grated Parmesan, shredded mozzarella, extra dried oregano, and garlic granules. Lastly, you’ll need dried ziti pasta for this dish.

Carry a big pot of salted water to the boil.

Snap the ziti pasta into smaller items and cook dinner it in response to the bundle’s directions till al dente.

Drain the pasta and set it apart.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Warmth the olive oil in a big, heavy-bottomed, oven-proof pan over a medium-high warmth.

Saute the onions and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the bottom beef and floor pork to the pan.

Brown for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the tomato passata, tomato puree, beef inventory, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, chile flakes, sugar, and salt and pepper to the pan.

Cut back the warmth to medium and simmer for quarter-hour.

In the meantime, add the cottage cheese, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, garlic granules, and dried oregano to a bowl.

Combine the ziti pasta into the meat ragù within the ovenproof dish.

Combine half of the cottage cheese combination into the pasta and ragù.

Prime with the remaining cottage cheese combination and the remaining grated mozzarella.

Bake within the oven for 30 to 35 minutes till the sauce is effervescent and the highest is golden and crispy.

In case you are seeking to customise this recipe while conserving it excessive in protein, a easy means to do that is by utilizing a distinct kind of meat. Switching out the meat and pork for different choices, corresponding to floor turkey or floor rooster, is a good way to adapt this recipe whereas conserving the protein ranges excessive. Alternatively, you’ll be able to incorporate meatballs into this dish instead of floor meat, or add chunks of rooster breast. For extra smoky, meaty taste, you’ll be able to fry up some pancetta or bacon and add it to the pasta dish earlier than baking.

This pasta bake is a good way to smuggle in further nutritional vitamins and minerals to your weight-reduction plan, so if you’re searching for extra of a vitamin hit in addition to a bit extra coloration, you’ll be able to sneak in quite a lot of veggies. Grilled eggplant or zucchini are each nice inclusions, as are grilled bell peppers and mushrooms. Stir in just a few handfuls of spinach or kale, or for one thing a little bit completely different, add roasted sprouts, that are filled with vitamins and would add a scrumptious nutty taste to any recipe.

Lastly, cheese and pasta are a match made in heaven, and cheese packs a protein punch as well. You possibly can add extra cheese or swap up the cheeses on this dish to your coronary heart’s content material. Romano or Gruyère make glorious different choices for this dish, as do provolone and Colby.

With regards to storable dry items, pasta must be proper up there by way of recognition, and with the sheer selection accessible for this pantry staple, you’ll be able to by no means develop bored. Ziti is a selected kind of pasta, just like penne, recognized for its easy, tubular form, which originates from Naples within the south of Italy, the place baked pasta dishes are fashionable. This specific kind of pasta is good for baking with its sturdy, thick form that holds up nicely when cooked within the oven at excessive temperatures, and an exterior that’s nicely designed to be coated in thicker sauces. Ziti may be bought in longer, spaghetti-length tubes, which is historically damaged by hand earlier than cooking, or it may be purchased in ready-shortened lengths for ease of use.

The identify “ziti” comes from the Italian “maccheroni della zita,” which suggests “bride’s pasta.” Baked ziti is a dish that’s usually served and loved on particular events, most notably at marriage ceremony celebrations, and may usually incorporate a variety of various elements from eggplants to pancetta, relying on the actual household, city, or area. In case you are having a tough time getting your fingers on ziti pasta, rigatoni or penne may also be used on this recipe to nice success, but when doable, we advocate reaching for the ziti to maximise your pasta bake expertise.