Tangy tomato sauce, rich ricotta, and gooey melted mozzarella come together with Sfoglini’s earthy Einkorn Ziti in one of the most beloved Italian-American comfort foods. This dish comes together in a little under two hours with lots of hands-off cooking time and is always a favorite for a classic pasta dinner night!
MAKES FOUR - EIGHT SERVINGS
For the sauce
For the ricotta mixture
For assembling
Set a medium sauté pan over low heat and add the pancetta. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is small and crisp. Remove the pancetta and all but about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Bring the heat to medium low. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, approximately 10 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute or until the raw garlic smell is gone. Add the tomatoes and passata. Crush the tomatoes using a potato masher or your hands, increase the heat to medium and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to prevent browning. Stir in salt and sugar, taste, and season accordingly. Remove from heat and cover until ready to use.
While the sauce cooks, thoroughly combine the ricotta, heavy cream, and salt in a bowl.
Heat oven to 400°F.
Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti for 5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before straining. Transfer to a large bowl. Add 3 cups of the sauce and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Stir to combine.
To assemble, add 1/2 cup of the sauce to the bottom of a 9x13-inch or other 3-quart baking dish. Spoon half the pasta over the sauce. Add another 1/2 cup of the sauce over the pasta, then 2/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of the parmesan. Layer the remaining pasta over the cheese, then another 1/2 to 1 cup of the sauce (based on preference), the remaining ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and parmesan.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling up around the edges and the pasta is cooked to your desired al dente. If the top browns too much, cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest uncovered for 10 minutes and serve, passing extra sauce and parmesan cheese alongside.
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Chef’s Note: Don’t use pre-shredded mozzarella for this recipe. It won’t melt as well as a block.
The pancetta bits from the beginning of the recipe have a variety of uses: they can be sprinkled over the finished dish, or used as a crunchy pasta or salad topping. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if not used immediately. If you prefer not to use pancetta, sweat the onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
If using a different pasta, cook it to about 4 minutes before al dente so it can finish cooking in the oven.
Pasta Swaps: This recipe would also work well with Sfoglini Reginetti, Radiators, or Quattrotini.
