The Foodie Files

Lasagna is so delicious, but for some reason I have to really psych myself up to make it.  To be totally honest, it kind of stresses me out.  Baked Ziti on the other hand?   Now that 's comfort food.  There's just as many ingredients and probably just as many steps, but for whatever reason it's almost thereputic to make (and even more thereputic to eat).  Here's the recipe I made last night...keep in mind, I typically cook for a small army so this is more than likely way more than you need.  The recipe below should feed about 8-10.

Ingredients:
10 cups rigatoni
5 links mild Italian sausage
48oz tomato sauce
30oz ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Romano cheese
1/4 cup Italian parsley
16oz shredded mozzarella cheese

First, de-case your sausage...simple but just as disgusting as it sounds- pierce the case and squeeze it out.  Yeah.  Pretty gross.

Brown and drain sausage, then add tomato sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Mix ricotta cheese, Romano cheese and parsley and set aside.

Cook rigatoni until it's al dente and transfer to baking dish(es- depending on how big a crowd you're serving).

Now mix all that goodness together, starting with the sauce....

...then adding the ricotta cheese (and spreading evenly throughout).

Top with mozzarella cheese (mmmmm....)

...and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Broil on high for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned.  I'm pretty sure I could eat this every day.  Holy cow, is it good.