A year ago, my baby brother moved back to Michigan from Nashville, Tennessee to take a job working for my husband. Until then, he had been living with my parents as he searched for a job in the music industry in Music City. Much easier said than done. So he packed up his little car and started over. New job, first time living on his own, friends and family no less than an hour away.
My job as his big sister is to make sure that he is covered on holidays and to give him a little taste of our mom’s home cooking from time to time. And since yesterday was my brother’s birthday and he, like most of my family, is a pasta fanatic (must be our Italian heritage), I thought it would be fun to make my mom’s super yummy ziti.
Now, my mom is what some would describe as a Foodie. I like to call her a food snob. When I asked her if it was alright if I posted her ziti recipe, her response was, “Let me read it first so I know it’s right.” Keep in mind that she literally dictated this recipe to me 10 years ago. But since her recipes are ever evolving, she wanted to make sure that I was up to date on her revisions. Let’s call it Mom’s Ziti 2.0.
You’ll Need ::
Sauce:
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 big can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 small onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (diced or minced)
1/2 cup white wine
3/4 cup water
Cheese/Pasta Mixture:
1 lb. rigatoni noodles
2.5 cups ricotta cheese (I usually buy a 2 lb. container)
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I usually buy a 1 lb. bag)
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
I usually start out by cooking the pasta (following the directions on the box) while I am getting the sauce ready. Here’s how I do the sauce:
In a medium sized sauce pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and let cook for a minute or so. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water and wine. Stir in the Italian seasoning until it is blended with the sauce. Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally, on medium heat for 10-15 minutes then reduce heat to low until pasta is ready.
The cheese mixture is pretty straightforward. I just throw all of the ingredients in a big bowl and stir. Easy peasy. Once the pasta is ready to go, I add it a little bit at a time to the cheesy goodness.
Once all of the pasta is mixed in, it is time to get this delicious dish oven-ready. Grab a 9×13 inch baking dish and put a thin layer of sauce at the bottom. Put the pasta mixture on top, making sure it is spread evenly throughout the baking dish. Put a thin layer of sauce on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover with tin foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Eat and enjoy! (Hope my brother thinks this is as tasty as my mom’s!)
