MAKE AHEAD BAKED ZITI RECIPES

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 and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Add meat and season with salt and pepper. Cook until no longer pink, about 6 minutes, then drain and discard fat. Stir in 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. In a large bowl, combine sauce and pasta. Fold in ricotta, leaving large clumps. Spread about half the pasta mixture into the bottom of a 9"-x-13" baking dish. Sprinkle half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan over the pasta. Top with the rest of the pasta mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Cover with foil and bake until cheese is bubbling, about 20 to 25 minutes.  Garnish with more basil before serving.

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce. , In a large bowl, combine eggs, ricotta cheese, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta; add to cheese mixture and stir until blended., Spoon a third of the meat sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; top with half of the pasta mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining meat sauce., Cover and bake 40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.