An authentic Italian recipe from our kitchen to yours. Buon
Appetito!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, sausage or mixed meats (beef, veal, pork)
- 1 box ziti, penne or rigatoni pasta
- 4 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 onion, peeled and minced
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups tomato puree
- 6 basil leaves
- 8 ounces fresh ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed
- 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper
Directions
1.
Preheat
oven
to
400
degrees
and
prepare
the
water
for
the
pasta
according
to
the
manufacturer's
instructions.
2.
In a
large
sauté
pan
over
medium
high
heat,
add
the
olive
oil,
minced
onion
and
minced
garlic
along
with
1/2
cup
water.
Sauté
the
ingredients
until
the
onion
begins
to
turn
translucent.
3.
To
the
pan
add
the
bay
leaf,
ground
beef,
nutmeg
and
a
pinch
of
salt
and
pepper.
Using
the
back
of a
fork,
continuously
mash
and
sauté
the
ground
beef
so
that
it
breaks
up
into
small
bits
as
it
cooks
and
combines
with
the
onion
and
garlic.
Continue
sautéing
the
beef
until
it
begins
to
brown.
4.
Allow
the
beef
to
brown
for
3 -
5
minutes
and
then
add
the
diced
tomatoes
to
the
pan.
Cover
the
pan
and
lower
the
heat
to
medium.
Cook
for
8 -
10
minutes,
stirring
occasionally,
until
the
tomatoes
have
mostly
broken
down
and
begin
to
form
a
sauce.
5.
When
the
tomatoes
have
broken
down,
remove
the
bay
leaf
from
the
pan
and
then
add
the
tomato
puree,
basil
leaves
and
2/3
cup
water.
Stir
the
ingredients
well
to
combine.
If
the
sauce
appears
too
thick,
add
another
1/4
to
1/2
cup
water
as
necessary.
Bring
the
sauce
to a
simmer
and
then
cover
the
pan
and
continue
to
simmer
for
10 -
15
minutes.
6.
After
10
minutes,
taste
the
sauce
and
add
salt
and
pepper
to
your
taste.
Simmer
another
5
minutes
and
then
remove
the
pan
from
the
heat
and
set
it
aside.
7.
Cook
the
pasta
for
the
ziti
according
to
the
manufacturer's
instructions.
Boil
it
just
to
the
point
of
al
dente
or
just
prior
to
reaching
al
dente
and
then
remove
the
pasta
from
the
heat
and
strain
it
from
the
cooking
water.
8.
Line
an
oven
safe
baking
dish
with
parchment
paper
or
spray
it
with
cooking
spray
to
prevent
sticking.
9.
Add
the
pasta
to
the
pan
with
the
meat
sauce
(if
there
is
not
enough
room,
add
both
the
sauce
and
the
pasta
to a
large
mixing
bowl)
and
combine
the
ingredients
well
so
that
the
pasta
is
thoroughly
coated
in
the
sauce.
10.
Dollop
the
ricotta
into
the
pan
with
the
pasta
and
meat
sauce.
Gently
fold
the
mixture
so
that
the
ricotta
combines
but
does
not
dissolve
completely
into
the
sauce.
11.
Pour
half
of
the
pasta
mixture
into
the
baking
dish
and
top
with
half
of
the
mozzarella
and
Parmigiano.
12.
Pour
the
rest
of
the
pasta
mixture
on
top
of
the
first
layer
and
top
it
with
the
remaining
mozzarella
and
Parmigiano.
13.
Cover
the
dish
with
aluminum
foil
and
place
the
dish
on
the
center
rack
in
the
oven
and
bake
for
15 -
20
minutes
or
until
the
cheese
is
well
melted.
14.
Once
the
cheese
has
melted,
remove
the
foil
cover
from
the
dish
and
bake
uncovered
for
another
5 -
10
minutes
to
brown
the
cheese
on
top
of
the
casserole.
15.
When
the
cheese
is
golden
brown,
remove
the
dish
from
the
oven
and
allow
it
to
cool
for
10 -
15
minutes
prior
to
serving.
