Baked Ziti with Crunchy Italian Salad and Garlic Bread
Serves: 4
The classic Italian supper comes together remarkably quickly -- garlic bread bakes alongside the ziti, and a green salad is tossed in mere minutes.
Total Time: 40 mins
Yield: servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Ingredients:
| coarse salt and ground pepper | |
| 8 ounces | ziti rigate (ridged) or other short pasta |
| 1 cup | part-skim ricotta cheese |
| 1 | large egg, lightly beaten |
| 3/4 cup | finely grated Parmesan cheese |
| 1 cup | shredded mozzarella cheese |
| 1 (24-ounce) jar | best-quality tomato sauce (about 3 1/2 cups) |
| 2 tablespoons | Italian seasoning |
| pepper, , to taste | |
| 1/2 loaf | Italian or French bread (5 ounces) |
| 2 tablespoons | butter, melted |
| 2 | garlic cloves, , minced |
| 1 tablespoon | red-wine vinegar |
| 1 tablespoon | olive oil |
| 1 head | butterhead lettuce, torn |
| 2 bunches | arugula |
Directions:
Step 1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain and reserve.
Step 2 In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and half the mozzarella; season with salt and pepper.
Step 3 In the bottom of a shallow 2-quart casserole dish, spread half the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Top with ziti, then ricotta mixture and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining mozzarella. Place casserole on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until top is browned and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 4 Meanwhile, prepare garlic bread: Make deep, even cuts into the bread, about 1/2 inch apart, without cutting through the bottom. In a small bowl, combine butter and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Brush garlic butter between cuts in bread. Wrap bread loosely in aluminum foil, and bake with ziti during last 10 minutes of baking.
Step 5 In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper. Add lettuce and arugula, and toss to coat. Serve baked ziti with salad and garlic bread.
Source: marthastewart.com
