BAKED ZITI NOODLES RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.
• In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente (I like to under-cook it 3 or 4 minutes as it will cook more in the oven). Drain and return to pot.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic. Add chopped spinach, salt, pepper and crushed tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes.
• Add sauce to the pasta and combine. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan.
• Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella and cover with foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned. Let it cool 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until very al dente; drain.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes minutes. 
• Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and oregano and cook 2 minutes more, until slightly darkened. Add crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer, reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and flavors have melded, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil.
• While sauce is reducing, stir to combine combine ricotta, spinach, lemon zest, and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium bowl.
• In a large bowl, combine sauce and pasta. Fold in ricotta mixture, leaving large clumps. Spread about half of the pasta mixture into the bottom of a large casserole dish. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and Parmesan over the pasta. Top with the rest of the pasta mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.
• Cover with foil and bake until cheese is bubbling, about 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with more basil before serving.