Vegetarian Baked Ziti

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Vegetarian Baked Ziti

 

i made this lastnight for dinner i made 2 trays I was feeding 8 and there was

just enought left for my lunch today. enjoy

 

 

Sauce:

1 10-ounce package white mushrooms, trimmed

1 large onion, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 28-ounce cans tomato puree

4 basil leaves torn into bits

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

 

Pasta:

1 pound ziti

salt

1 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 cup ricotta

8 ounces mozzarella, cut into small dice

 

Place the mushrooms in a colander and rinse them quickly under cold running

water. (Do not soak mushrooms, or they will absorb too much water.) Drain the

mushrooms and pat dry. Slice the mushrooms 1/4 inch thick.

To make the sauce, cook the onion in the oil in a large skillet until tender

and golden. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms are

lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Add the tomato puree, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and

cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the peas.

Meanwhile, bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the

ziti and salt to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente,

tender yet firm to the bite. Drain the ziti and place it in a bowl. Toss it

with 3 cups of the sauce and 3/4 cup of the grated cheese.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spoon half the ziti into a shallow 3 1/2 -quart baking dish. Spread the ricotta

on top. Pour on 1 more cup of the sauce and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Top

with the remaining ziti, sauce and grated cheese. Cover the dish with foil.

(The ziti can be refrigerated for several hours, or overnight, at this point.

Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking.)

Bake the ziti for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 to 30 minutes longer, or

until the center is hot and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Cover and

let stand for 15 minutes before serving. serves 4 to 6.

 

 

 

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