Oven-Baked Ziti With Three Cheeses
casseroles, pasta
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion; chopped
2 garlic; chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves; crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried sage; rubbed
1/2 cup parmesan cheese; grated
8 oz mozzarella cheese; grated
12 oz freshly cooked ziti or
1 other tubular pasta
1 egg
Heat oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and fennel seeds and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, water, oregano and sage. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 450. Butter 9x13 inch glass baking dish. In medium bowl combine ricotta cheese and egg. Reserve 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese for topping. Add remaining mozzarella to ricotta cheese mixture and blend. season with salt and pepper. Spread 1/4 of tomato sauce over bottom of prepared dish. Layer 1/3 of pasta over. Drop half of ricotta cheese mixture over by spoonfuls. Spread 1/4 of sauce over. Repeat layering with another 1/3 of pasta, remaining cheese mixture, 1/4 of sauce and remaining pasta. Spread remaining sauce over and sprinkle with reserved mozzarella and remaning 1/4 cup parmesan. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Cover and bake until heated through, about 40 minutes.
Contributor: Bon Appetit
Yield: 6 servings
