RACHAEL RAY BAKED ZITI RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about 8 minutes.
• In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel lined plate. Return pan to heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Saute 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.
• Preheat broiler to high.
• To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble, then stir in 2 cups of 4 cheese blend. When cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes. When sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired.
• Combine cheese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to flameproof baking dish, casserole or flameproof serving platter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of 4 cheese blend and the grated Parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.

Steps:

• If making your own sausage, combine meat with wine and seasonings and chill several hours or overnight before using for flavors to combine
• For the ziti, heat olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat
• Add sausage, begin to brown and crumble, then add ground meat and brown and crumble
• Add garlic and onions, red pepper, salt, pepper and oregano, and cook to soften onions, 5-6 minutes
• Add stock, tomatoes and passata or purée; break up tomatoes and bring to a bubble
• Reduce heat to a low simmer, add a few leaves of basil and simmer 30 minutes
• Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt and undercook pasta about 5-6 minutes, just shy of al dente
• Reserve 1/2 cup of starchy cooking liquid
• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Combine ricotta with half a cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and season with nutmeg
• Add egg and combine
• Add pasta, starchy cooking liquid and half the sauce; stir
• Transfer pasta to large casserole and top with remaining sauce
• Cover the casserole with mozzarella and remaining Parmigiano cheese
• Top with parsley and bake 25-30 minutes until brown and bubbly on top