Recipe: Oven-Baked Ziti with Three Cheeses

Oven-Baked Ziti with Three Cheeses
rec.food.cooking/Gerlonda Battles
Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 egg
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
12 ounces freshly cooked ziti or other tubular pasta

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic and fennel seeds and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, water, oregano and sage. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 450F. Butter 9x13-inch glass baking dish. In medium bowl combine ricotta cheese and egg. Reserve 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese for topping. Add remaining mozzarella to ricotta cheese mixture and blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread 1/4 of tomato sauce over bottom of prepared dish. Layer 1/3 of pasta over. Drop half of ricotta cheese mixture over by spoonfuls. Spread 1/4 of sauce over. Repeat layering with another 1/3 of pasta, remaining cheese mixture, 1/4 of sauce and remaining pasta. Spread remaining sauce over and sprinkle with reserved mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Cover casserole and bake until heated through, about 40 minutes.