One dish that equals affection is the baked ziti. Baked pasta + spices + melted Mozzarella and Parmesan = dessert later. I ask you...what woman doesn't like a romantic Italian dinner where you did all the work?
Time to make the magic happen!
Ingredients:
3/4 of the box of uncooked ziti pasta
1 large white onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4oz. pancetta, cubed
1lb ground Italian sausage (mild or hot--depends on how spicy your lady likes it)
1 cup dry red wine
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 container chopped portabella mushrooms
1 small package baby spinach
1 page of fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tsp crushed red peppers (or to taste for those who like it a little less spicy)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Pam cooking spray
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 400. Cook the ziti per the package. Brown the pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 2:
Add onion and garlic to pancetta, and be sure to sauté for 5 minutes and make them tender.
Step 3:
Add the mushrooms to the pancetta mixture.
Step 4:
Add sausage and cook for 10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.
Step 5:
Add wine and cook this down for 5 minutes.
Step 6:
Add the healthy part of this dish, the spinach and let it cook down.
Step 7:
Stir in tomatoes, basil, and a pinch of salt.
Step 8:
Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes to make the sauce thicken. By now, the noodles are done, so drain them and then add them back to the same pot. Stir ricotta and one cup mozzarella into the hot pasta and allow the heat from the pasta to partially melt the cheese.
Step 9:
Lightly spray your casserole dish with the cooking spray (I used a 13 x 9 dish). Transfer pasta to the dish.
Step 10:
Top with tomato/meat mixture.
Step 11:
Category:
Closing Remarks:
Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the dish starts to bubble. Serve this dish with a good red wine and then just tell her you forgot dessert from working so hard on home-made ziti. Smile and the rest should be history.
Enjoy your night!
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