Baked Ziti

A family favorite baked pasta thats delicious and protein packed!! A must make recipe!

RECIPE:

• 1 lb ziti noodles

• 1 lb ground spicy or sweet Italian chicken or turkey sausage (or removed from casings)

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1½ teaspoons sugar

• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 cup whole milk

• ⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons grated pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano) cheese, divided

• ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving

• 8 oz low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the 1 lb of ziti noodles and cook according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven so you want to undercook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position.

3. Heat a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Crumble the 1 lb of sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1½ teaspoons sugar and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

4. Add the 1 cup whole milk, ⅓ cup of the pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and ⅓ cup basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella (1 cup) and half the remaining pecorino Romano (1½ tablespoons). Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella (1 cup) and pecorino Romano (1½ tablespoons). Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.

   

   8 Servings:

   6 points each

   263 calories

   11g fat

   19g carbs

   21g protein

   
   

   Original Recipe: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/baked-ziti-with-sausage.html#tabrecipe

   Youtube Video: https://youtu.be/viaWscRp1bY