BAKED ZITI w/ ALFREDO'S SAUCE..MY FAVORITE ITALIAN PASTA!
Penne (pronounced /ˈpɛniː/ [UK], or /ˈpɛneɪ/ [US]) is a type of pasta with cylinder-shaped pieces. Penne is the plural form of the Italian penna, deriving from Latin penna (meaning "feather" or "quill"). In Italy, penne are produced in two main variants: "penne lisce" (smooth) and "penne rigate" (furrowed), the latter having ridges on each penna. There is also pennoni ("big quills"), which is a wider version of penne. The same or similar shape is also called mostaccioli(meaning "little mustache" in Italian, a form of penne lisce that is smooth, not ridged, in texture) and ziti (long hollow rods which are also smooth in texture and have square-cut edges; "cut ziti" are ziti cut into shorter tubes), and can refer to particular dishes made from penne-shaped pasta. There is also zitoni, which is a wider version of ziti. It can be somewhat difficult to differentiate between subtypes of penne in the USA, since regional differences in product naming can result in both ridged and smooth forms of penne being labelled interchangeably. In the U.S., many people refer to penne as "penne pasta," while other types of pasta are not typically referred to in this manner.
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Penne is traditionally cooked to al dente and served with pasta sauces such as pesto and marinara. Penne is a popular ingredient in pasta salads. Penne makes an excellent and versatile pasta for many applications because of its very practical design. The hollow center allows it to hold sauce, while the angular ends act as scoops. Penne rigate's ridges allow it to hold still more sauce, as well as offering an alternative textural option for certain dishes; penne lisce offers a refined sensation to the palate.
Ingredients
Directions
Serves 4
- FOR BAKED ZITI
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 8 ounces ziti rigate (ridged) or other short pasta
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
- 1 jar (24 to 26 ounces) best-quality tomato sauce (about 3 1/2 cups)
- FOR GARLIC BREAD
- 1/2 loaf Italian bread (5 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- FOR CRUNCHY ITALIAN SALAD
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 head Belgian endive, stem end trimmed, thinly sliced
- 2 bunches arugula (3 1/2 ounces total), thick stems removed
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain and reserve.
- In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and half the mozzarella; season with salt and pepper.
- In the bottom of a shallow 2-quart casserole dish, spread half the tomato sauce. Top with ziti, then ricotta mixture and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining mozzarella. Place casserole on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until top is browned and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare garlic bread: Make deep, even cuts into the bread, about 1/2 inch apart, without cutting through the bottom. In a small bowl, combine butter and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Brush garlic butter between cuts in bread. Wrap bread loosely in aluminum foil, and bake with ziti during last 10 minutes of baking.
- In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper. Add endive and arugula, and toss to coat. Serve baked ziti with salad and garlic bread.
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