Baked Ziti is a smooth cheese pasta casserole. I am not sure how Italian this dish is but we all grew up with it so it counts as an American dish no matter what. The basic dish is very flexible, using most any kind of short round pasta and most any type of cheese and your favorite sauce you can create a great everyday meal. Or if you pair the casserole with some nice bread, olive oil and wine you can create a nice Sunday meal. Method Parboil the pasta (partially cook the pasta) in a large pot. In a 9 x 13 inch pan mix the pasta with the sauce (preferably homemade) and add the grated parmesan and 2 cups ricotta cheese with a spoon around the dish. Top with slices of mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 - 30 minutes at 325 degrees F. Homemade Tomato Sauce If you choose to make homemade sauce you could start with one 28 ounce can of whole or diced tomatoes. Dice up the tomatoes if whole and reserve the liquid. Dice up one onion and sautee for a minute or two one medium high heat. Add tomato paste, sautee. Then add the tomatoes and sautee for 5 minutes. Deglaze with the reserved juice from the can and add the herbs. This is where you can really make a great sauce. Thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper...the list of herbs and spices you can add is endless. Add a tablespoon or two of white sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and stir. Then for the ziti you can blend the sauce in a blender and just pour over the pasta.
| 
