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Baked Ziti with Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce & Sausage

For Slow Roasted Tomatoes:

  • 20 plum/Roma tomatoes, quartered

  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 1 Tbsp Herbs de Provence

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

  1. Preheat oven to 250F.

  2. In a large bowl, toss all ingredients making sure tomatoes are coated.

  3. On a sheet tray lined with parchment paper, place tomatoes "seed side" up.

  4. Place tray in oven and roast for 1 hour.

For the Sauce:

  • Slow roasted tomatoes (recipe above)

  • 1 onion, peeled quartered

  • 1 cup water

  1. Place all ingredients in size appropriate saucepot.

  2. Slow cook over low heat for 2 hours, covered. Stir the pot occasionally.

  3. Once all contents are soft, mash all ingredients together (including onion) with a potato masher until all contents are of "chunky" consistent.

 

Baked Ziti:

  • 1 pound ziti pasta

  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 pound Italian sausage

  • 1 medium onion, peeled + small dice

  • 1 medium bunch basil, leaves only (keep whole)

  • 1 Tablespoon dried oregano

  • 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce (see recipe above)

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • 3 cups ricotta cheese

  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided in half

  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.

  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (2 quarts). Cook pasta 10 minutes, drain and set aside in a large mixing bowl.  **You can toss the pasta in a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking. 

  3. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  When pan and oil are hot, add sausage making sure to break up any large pieces.  Cook sausage until browned.  

  4. After the sausage has browned, add diced onion and mix with meat. Cook until onions are translucent, add tomato sauce, basil, and oregano. Stir to combine.  Bring meat sauce to a simmer and let cook 5-10 minutes. 

  5. Combine meat + sauce mixture with reserved pasta. Mix in ricotta and half of the shredded mozzarella.

  6. Pour pasta mixture into a 9x13-inch casserole or baking dish. Sprinkle the other half of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top of casserole.

  7. Bake ziti for 20 minutes, making sure top is lightly brown.