A Taste Of Ziti

Almost every American kid with even a drop of Southern Italian blood will say baked ziti is their favorite dish.As they grow older this dish ,becomes their favorite comfort food and no wonder.It is a tasty Mix of pasta ,sauce and cheese,baked to crunchy goodness.It's a great dish to make anytime. Ziti is a penne type of pasta originating in Calabria in the far south of the Italian boot.It is one of the traditional pasta al forgo or baked pasta.Oven baked pasta dates back to both the Middle Ages and the Renaissance where it was served at noblemen's banquets.The idea caught on throughout the South.Ziti and its'cousins, lasagna, cannelloni and manicotti are still popular in Sicily along with the areas around Naples, Amalfi and Salerno.Ziti recipes vary from family to family and there really isn't a definitive recipe.Most baked pasta dishes actually start with leftovers so one recipe may call for chopped meat while another has two or three cheeses layered in.In a way it's like the American baked Mac and cheese.Everyone has their own spin on it and every variation is always the right one. Making baked ziti is easy .The standard recipe calls for ziti, tomato sauce along with ground beef and a mix of different cheeses from Provolone to mozzarella and Parmesan.It's a bit labor intensive but the steps are easy.Boil the ziti first and while doing this, brown the beef along with an onion .Add the sauce.Then it's just a matter of layering the pasta ,cheeses and meats and baking for a half hour.The good thing about this dish is that it can be varied.Many use just ricotta as the cheesevalone to give the dish a creamy ,richer texture along with adding a top layer of mozzarella for more gooiness.Spicy Italian sausage can replace the ground chuck too for heat and bite.For a lighter fare try adding chicken.It will give the ziti a less heavier taste.Any dish can also be made more healthier with omitting the meat ,and subbing in veggies such as button mushrooms, zucchini and onion.You can add a lighter ricotta too and use whole-wheat penne instead. Nothing beats baked ziti for dinner.It's Southern Italian comfort food at it's best.This baked dish is classic that will satisfy any kid ,big or small.