I had this last week. It will serve 5-6 not as difficult as it looks
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound browned Italian sausage or ground beef (optional)
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, Itialian plum if you can find them
1 (16-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, add a teaspoon sugar to your sauce, optional 1 package fresh sliced mushrooms
Salt
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
A handful fresh basil leaves, rolled like a tight cigar and thinly sliced I think that is called a chiffonade?
1 pound ziti rigate, with ridges or rigitoni rigate
1 small jar 4 cheese alfreado sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 reaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 block sliced fresh mozzarella
Crusty bread, to pass at table
Heat oven to 375
Put pasta water on to boil.
In a large saute pan over medium heat, saute garlic, onion and mushrooms in extra-virgin olive oil.add more iol to keep from sticking if necessary Add whole tomatoes and break them up in the pan the pan. Add crushed tomatoes and salt and simmer 10 minutes, add basil,sugar, Italian seasoning, browned meat and simmer over low heat 10 minutes more.
In a small sauce pan heat jarred sauce and nutmeg add a few turns of black pepper
Add salt and pasta to boiling water and cook 6 minutes, leaving pasta a little chewy.
Drain pasta and transfer to a large casserole dish. Pour the tomato and basil sauce over the pasta add shredded mozzeralla and turn to coat the pasta. Pour the jarred sauce over the already coated pasta. Cover the top of the pasta with Parmesan and slices of mozzarella Cover and place the casserole into hot oven fpr 40 minutes until hot and bubbly remove cover the last 5 minutes to brown slitghtly, Serve immediately while cheese is still gooey with a nice salade |