Lana's Favorite Baked Ziti Recipe
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Category: |
Category: |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 boned-in pork chops (on the thinner side)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
5 leaves of fresh basil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
(2) 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped, with liquid
A splash (or a few splashes!) of your favorite red wine (I use Chianti or a dry red)
1 pound ziti or penne (penne is my preference)
1 pound mozzarella, grated or chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
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Directions: |
Directions:Preheat oven to 400º
Bring large pot of water to boil; add pinch of salt
Add a splash of olive oil to a large pot or skillet. Over medium heat distribute 4 pork chops until browned on one side. Add tomatoes, garlic, a dash of salt and pepper and oregano. Bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and add red wine. Simmer (for about 45 minutes) while cooking pasta, stirring and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste; do not let sauce become too thick.
Cook pasta until just tender. El dente. Drain.
Toss pasta with a small amount of olive oil (not too much! Just a drizzle!) so it won't stick together when it comes time to toss with sauce.
Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
After sauce is finished simmering (pork chops are done cooking in sauce now) toss pasta with sauce. Set pork chops aside.
Put half of the pasta with sauce in baking dish, sprinkle half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan cheese over pasta. Repeat for a second layer.
Bake until top is browned and cheese bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.
Let baked ziti sit for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil leaves.
If desired: serve with pork chops. I use the pork chops for flavor! You can use the leftover pork chops for another meal! |
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Number Of
Servings: |
Number Of
Servings:Serves 6 people |
Preparation
Time: |
Preparation
Time:1 hour |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: I have been making this baked ziti for about 10 years now. I made up the recipe and it is my sisters favorite! I remember standing in my kitchen calling Gram (Millie) to ask her how to make baked ziti and she told me "it's usually made with ricotta cheese, but my mother (Giovina Colombo) NEVER made it with RRRRICCCCOTTT!" (tisk tisk). Gram provided me with the basic ingredients (no measurements) and told me to call her the next day to let her know how it turned out. Over the years, I have added some of my own ingredients (fresh basil and red wine!) and now it's one of my family's favorites.
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