Main Dishesbonappetit3.3
BA's Best Baked Ziti
With its creamy Parmesan béchamel and tangy pancetta-enriched marinara sauce, this baked ziti recipe is one of our favorite uses for a casserole dish.
👥 6 Servings🔥 Cook: 35 min👤 Dawn Perry📖 bonappetit
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●saucepan
- ●whisk
- ●pot
- ●blender
- ●oven
- ●bowl
- ●baking dish
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium until foamy. Sprinkle flour over and cook, whisking constantly, ⏱️ 1 minute. Gradually whisk in warm milk. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking often, until béchamel is thickened to about the consistency of heavy cream and no longer feels grainy when rubbed between your fingers, 8–⏱️ 10 minutes (thoroughly cooking the mixture ensures a creamy sauce and eliminates any raw flour flavor). Remove from heat and add 2 cups Parmesan, whisking until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Set aside.
2
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Cook pancetta, stirring often, until golden brown, about ⏱️ 2 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onion is golden and soft, 8–⏱️ 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened, about ⏱️ 2 minutes.
pancetta (Italian bacon), finely chopped1 ouncelarge onion, chopped1tomato paste2 tablespoons
3
Add whole peeled tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, and season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until slightly reduced and flavors have melded, 20–⏱️ 25 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender; pulse until mostly smooth (or use an immersion blender and purée directly in pot). Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper.
4
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about ⏱️ 5 minutes (the pasta will continue to cook in the oven); drain.
5
Transfer reserved béchamel to a large bowl; add pasta and mozzarella and toss to combine. Add all but 1 cup tomato sauce and gently fold mixture a few times, leaving streaks of béchamel.
fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch pieces1 pound
6
Transfer pasta mixture to a 13x9-inch or other 3-quart baking dish, dollop with remaining tomato sauce, and scatter remaining Parmesan over pasta. Bake until mozzarella is melted and sauce is bubbling around the edges, 15–⏱️ 20 minutes.
fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch pieces1 pound
7
Heat broiler. Broil until pasta and cheese are dark brown in spots, about ⏱️ 4 minutes. Let pasta sit ⏱️ 5 minutes before serving. Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in March 2015 as part of BA’s Best, a collection of our essential recipes. For more of our favorite casserole recipes, head this way →
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