Thursday, April 8, 2010

Five Cheese Ziti


In the classroom I work in we all love to eat, so we decided to have a potluck. My friend brought this and we all loved it. It takes a lot of ingredients, but oh how it's worth it. I couldn't find any Fontina cheese, and really, I don't think it needs it.



Ziti Sauce:
4 cups tomato sauce
2 cups alfredo sauce
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons Fontina cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon garlic pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Ziti Topping:
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons romano cheese, grated
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped

Remaining Ingredients:
1 lb dry ziti pasta
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preparing the Ziti Sauce:
Combine all ingredients for the Ziti Sauce in a large bowl; cover
and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preparing the Ziti topping:
1- In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the first four ingredients for
the Ziti Topping.
2- Add the garlic, oil, and parsley and mix until thoroughly blended.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

When ready to prepare the whole dish:
1- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish or
large casserole with non-stick spray.
2- Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
3- Pour 1/2 cup of prepared ziti sauce into the prepared dish, and
spread it evenly over the bottom using a spoon.
4- When pasta has finished cooking, drain the water and pour the hot
pasta into the bowl of remaining sauce. Mix thoroughly; pour into the
baking dish.
5- Spread 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over the pasta and sauce mixture.
6- Top the mozzarella with the prepared Ziti Topping, spreading evenly.
7- Place pan on center oven rack and bake until top is golden brown
and cheese is bubbling, about 30 to 40 minutes.
8- Remove and serve immediately.

(From the Olive Garden Restaurant, so I hear)

No comments:

Post a Comment