easy baked ziti

 

This recipe is so easy you hardly need a recipe.  So easy and good. 

easy baked ziti (slightly adapted from love and lemons)

4 cups (32 ounes) marinara sauce

2 cups (16 ounces) ricotta chees

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3/4 teaspoon sea salt, more for the pasta water

freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ziti pasta

extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

1 pound fresh spinach (I omitted it so my son would eat it!)

1 1/2 cups smoked mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

chopped fresh parsley and/or torn basil leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spread 1/2 cup marinara in the bottom of a 9x13 baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Drain.

Return the pot back to the stove.  Over low heat, drizzle the bottom of the pot with a little oliveoil and add the spinach.  Toss and saute 1-2 minutes until just wilted, working in batches if necessary.  Turn off the heat, remove the spinach from the pot and gently squeeze out some of the excess water.  Coarsely chop it and set it aside.

Add the pasta back to the pot along with the remaining marinara, most of the chopped spinach, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and more fresh pepper and toss until combined.

Add half the pasta to the baking dish, top with dollops of the ricotta, the remaining spinach, and scoop the remaining pasta on top.  Top with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.  Drizzle with olive oil and bake until the cheese is browned, 16-22 minutes.  Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve hot.