suemunzlinger's Recipe

Basic Baked Zita

Category: Main Dish

1 pound dried ziti pasta
Kosher salt
two jars of bottled pasta sauce
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
1/4 cup grated romano
1 pound fresh mozzarella, half cut into 1/2-inch cubes and half thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of crushed red pepper or to taste
(If you want meat, add cooked ground beef or Italian sausage.)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously, and boil the pasta until al dente, tender but still slightly firm. Drain.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the marinara sauce, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the romano, and the cubed mozzarella pieces. Season with the black pepper and red pepper to taste, and mix until well combined. Transfer the pasta to an oiled 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Cover the top of the pasta with the sliced mozzarella, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake until lightly browned and hot, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.