Basic Baked Ziti

I like recipes that can go straight from freezer to oven, with zero effort on the night you actually want to eat it. Baked pasta dishes, like this one, are perfect for that. This is a nice basic recipe that you can alter to suit your family's tastes or whatever mood you're in. Ground beef or crumbled sausage would be nice additions, or a little spinach or chopped artichoke hearts for a vegetarian version.


1-lb box of ziti
8 oz shredded mozzarella
32 oz ricotta
2 eggs
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
3 cups pasta sauce (about a 24-oz jar. I'm using a vodka sauce - yum.)

• Cook the ziti according to package directions
• While the pasta is cooking, combine half the mozzarella with all of the remaining ingredients except for the pasta sauce and stir until just blended.
• When the pasta is tender, reserve one cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta well.
• Add the pasta, reserved water, and pasta sauce to the cheese mixture. Pour into a large baking dish and top with the remaining 4 ounces of mozzarella.
• Bake, covered, at 375F for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until hot and bubbly, about 30-45 minutes more.

If you're freezing:

• Follow the first four steps, making sure you're using a baking dish that can survive the freezer. (You can find disposable aluminum pans, which freeze well, in most grocery stores.)
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap, then a layer of heavy-duty foil.
  
• When ready to bake, remove the foil and plastic, discard the plastic wrap and re-cover with the foil, then pick up at step 5.