This is a family favorite and a perfect make ahead meal with lots of leftovers! You could play around with the vegetables based on what's available or your families favorites. I like to mix in Mushrooms in place of the Squash or Eggplant!
Baked Ziti
Ingredients
1 jar of tomato basil sauce (25 oz)
16 oz shredded part skim mozzarella
Parmigiano cheese
1 eggplant diced
2 zucchini diced
2 yellow squash diced
1 bag frozen peas (10 oz)
Fresh Basil
1 tbsp Olive oil
3 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Pepper
16 oz Whole grain pasta
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
In a large mixing bowl add eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. Toss with olive oil until lightly coated. Add in 2 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp ground pepper. Roast in a large pan for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside
In meantime cook pasta in boiling salted water. Cook about 2-3 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and add to a large mixing bowl. Right away add about half the bag of shredded cheese. Mixing as your sprinkle in the cheese. Immediately add in frozen peas to stop the cooking process. Add about 1/3 of the sauce jar. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Add in roasted vegetables and gently mix. Add in another handful of cheese and another 1/3rd of the sauce jar.
Pour mixture into large rectangular porcelain or glass pan. It will likely fill to the top. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over the top. Drizzle remaining sauce. Grate fresh parmigiana over the top until it is sprinkled all over. Tear fresh basil leaves on place on top, you can use as much as you like. This should like like a pretty painting of Red, White and Green.
At this stage you can let it cool and cover and put in fridge for later that night or next day or bake right away. If cooling take out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you want to bake it so it isn't too cold going into the oven.
Bake at 400 for 45 minutes uncovered. It should be golden brown and tops crispy. If you see it is getting too done you can cover with tin foil for the last 15 minutes.
Enjoy!
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