Italian Ziti Bake
- Duration
- Cook Time
- Prep Time
- 6Servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti, rigatoni or other medium pasta shape, uncooked
- 1 tsp. vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 medium zucchini, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes in puree
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 egg whites
- 1 (15-oz.) container part-skim ricotta cheese
- 2/3 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
1 Prepare pasta according to package directions
2 While pasta is cooking, warm the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
3 . Add the onion, zucchini and garlic. Pour in tomatoes and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes.
4 Cover the pan and cook until the vegetables are very soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5 Preheat oven to 325-o F. Blend together the egg whites and ricotta cheese until smooth.
6 In a 3-quart casserole dish, layer the pasta, ricotta cheese and tomato mixture, ending with a layer of the tomato mixture.
7 Sprinkle the top with grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
8 Bake until golden brown on top and bubbling, about 45 minutes.
Source: National Pasta Association