a baked ziti lasagna situation
hi friends, lovers + people probably related to me -
the only wisdom i can impart about being 26 is that in some ways it feels old - that the things i was preoccupied with in my early twenties don’t really matter anymore, while they haven’t necessarily been replaced by better neuroses - i do feel more comfortable in my own skin ( it’s about damn time )
okay, as uncool of an opinion this is, i don’t care ~ i freaking love valentine’s day + galentine’s day ❤ ~ in all its’ cheesy rom-com chocolate covered rosy pink heart shaped goodness. mostly because it’s sweet + nostalgic (all those elementary school valentines) and also because it’s a little excuse to treat yourself, your friends, family, roommates & lovers.
baked pasta is the best pasta - the b side
well if you’re in chicago it’s been as i like to refer to it “pretty effing cold,” there’s also been more snow than i’ve seen in years - which means one thing it’s peak baked pasta season.* this recipe was inspired by alison roman’s baked ziti recipe - but since i’m more of a “grandma-style” cook mine doesn’t really have measurements or hard and fast times & says things like “enough salt + pepper to make you feel something”
*any season can be baked pasta season if you try really hard and believe in yourself but i don’t recommend making this when it’s 98 in the middle of july, also my parents when they were a ~ young, in love, childless couple ~ got snowed in and made lasagna one weekend which made me always think that this is the perfect weather for something saucy, cheesy + meaty.
INGREDIENTS
1 box of mezze rigatoni( i typically buy the del cecco kind)
1 package of hot italian sausage
1 large container full-fat whole milk ricotta (none of this part-skim bs)
heavy cream (like 1/3 - to 1/2 cup)
a wedge of parmesan ( please grate this yourself)
fresh mozzerella
san marzano canned tomatoes (1 - 2 large cans - extra sauce never goes to waste)
garlic (5 large cloves)
tomato paste ( use the whole little can)
1-2 yellow onions
fresh basil
red pepper flakes
salt + pepper
a little olive oil
a bottle or two of red wine
STEPS
1st pour yourself a glass of wine, cue some background music and get the sauce started - generously splash olive oil in a dutch oven or other heavy bottom pot, add 5 sliced cloves of garlic, the sliced onions (doesn’t have to be too thin or anything). cook down a bit - then add the tomato paste, salt + pepper and red pepper flakes. stir around and let the tomato paste turn darker + everything should smell delicious. add the the san marzano tomatoes and crush them with your hands - stir everything together, let it hangout for a bit. also during this time cook & crisp up some hot italian sausage in a skillet, then once finished add it to the sauce and let the flavors come together
2nd put a large pot of heavily salted water to boil and then grate your parm. scoop the ricotta into a large bowl, add the parm, stir together - then add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of heavy cream and enough salt + pepper so that you feel something and keep eating the mixture with a spoon. cover & put in the fridge to chill
3rd drop the mezze rigatoni - i really like this pasta shape because they are short, stubby and all the sauce, cheese + sausage gets a lil stuck in them. cook slightly less than indicated on the box since we will also be baking these in the oven. once the pasta is done, add a ladle or so of the pasta water to the sauce and a bunch of fresh torn basil, stir together.
4th okay so you need to make two smaller ones since that way you both maximize the crunchy edges & also have another one to save in the freezer. in a glass baking dish ladle a generous amount of sauce and swirl it around, add pasta, dollops of the ricotta mixture and more sauce - repeat till it’s all gone. cover with sliced fresh mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil
5th heat the oven to 400-425, line a a sheet pan with parchment to catch the drips. place the two ziti lasagna situations in the oven and the sheet pan on the rack beneath them. bake until the top is browned and crispy in places & everything is really melty
6th okay so this is the hard part, you have to wait for it to cool slightly, like 10-15ish minutes atleast, so pour yourself some more wine, tidy your kitchen - some other silly little tasks.
7th finallyyyy cut yourself a generous piece & enjoy, relax, drink more wine because this is also v. delicious the next day eaten straight out of the fridge
particularly good things i consumed this week
accidentally getting stuck in the suburbs + spending some extra time with the fam (so much food & so many episodes of law & order later)
this v. interesting rachel monroe article about the continuing rise of fast fashion
last-minute drinks on a wednesday night - which pushed me both out of the house & out of my feeling like a work gremlin funk (the tajin rimmed palomas probably helped)
dropping some galentine’s treats at janel’s & spending almost an hour chatting
haley nahman’s newsletter last week about love + this interview with her & avi
a fantastic pepperoni pizza + a bottle of wine from bungalow
this field guide to heart shaped foods
currently consuming
this candle i got at target that smells kind of like irish spring and crackles like a tiny fire, contemplating buying this print for my room and a book or two off my bedside to be read pile since it’s grown exponentially since last week.
as always,
mk