Foodie Tuesday recipe: Best Baked Ziti

Welcome back to Foodie Tuesday! Today's foodie recipe I will share is the Baked Ziti recipe I mentioned HERE. 

I love this recipe for a few reasons:

1. It's pretty easy - not too labor intensive, and no crazy ingredients.

2. It's fool-proof (even I haven't been able to mess it up yet!)

3. It makes a lot and freezes well - so you can make one batch (or double it) and freeze part of it.
4. It's hearty. So hearty, in fact, that no meat is needed! My carnivore-of-a-husband was skeptical at first, but is now a believer...no meat needed for this one!

5. It's the best baked ziti recipe I have ever tasted!!

So here's how you do it...

Best Baked Ziti

Original recipe source and photo HERE

Note: I doubled the recipe so my pictures will show HUGE portions. It's easy to double, so you might as well!

INGREDIENTS

• 1pound whole milk cottage cheese or 1 percent cottage cheese (see note)
• 2large eggs , lightly beaten
• 3ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
•  Table salt
• 1pound ziti or other short, tubular pasta
• 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons)
• 1(28-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1(14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1teaspoon sugar
•  Ground black pepper
• 3/4teaspoon cornstarch
• 1cup heavy cream (see note)
• 8ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella cheese , cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups) (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander (do not wash Dutch oven).
• I didn't have enough Ziti to double the recipe so I used Penne instead. Worked just fine!
  
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. 
  This baby is my best friend...it's so easy!
  
  
  
  Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in ½ cup basil and sugar, then season with salt and pepper.
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  3. Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl; transfer mixture to now-empty Dutch oven set over medium heat.
  
  
  Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine.
  

  

  
  

  Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.
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  4. Transfer pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish...

  
  

  

  
  

   ...and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining ¾ cup mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan over top. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• 5. Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve. 

  

  
  So good, pretty easy, you'll love it! Serve with french bread and a nice salad and you're set!
  Enjoy!