Ziti Al Forno: Tradition and Comfort in Perfect Layers

Em uma panela grande, aqueça o azeite em fogo médio. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain the excess fat.

Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute, until fragrant.

Pour in the red wine (if using) and let it evaporate for 2-3 minutes. Add the peeled tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaf, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

Reduce the heat to the minimum, cover, and cook for at least 45 minutes (ideally 1h30 to 2h), stirring occasionally. The longer the sauce cooks, the tastier it will be. Remove the bay leaf.

While the sauce cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the Ziti pasta according to package instructions, but leave it al dente, about 2 minutes less than the recommended time. Drain well.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Mix until you get a homogeneous paste.

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a large baking dish (approximately 23x33cm). Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish to prevent the dough from sticking.

Add half of the cooked Ziti pasta over the sauce. Carefully spread the ricotta mixture over the dough, using a spoon or spatula.

Cover the ricotta layer with half of the remaining meat sauce. Spread half of the grated mozzarella cheese over the sauce.

Repeat the layers: add the remaining dough, the rest of the meat sauce, and cover generously with the remaining mozzarella cheese and the 1/2 cup of grated parmesan.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.

Let the Ziti Al Forno rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. This helps the flavors settle and the structure to firm up, making it easier to cut.