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The Best Baked Ziti with Cottage Cheese (Postpartum Ziti) Recipe

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  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian-American

Description

This Best Baked Ziti with Cottage Cheese recipe is a comforting, hearty pasta casserole perfect for family meals or postnatal nourishment. Featuring al dente tubular pasta combined with a flavorful homemade Italian sausage and tomato sauce, creamy cottage cheese and mozzarella layers, and a rich yet lightened-up cream base, this baked ziti delivers a perfect balance of cheesy goodness and savory depth. Topped with golden mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, it’s an irresistible, crowd-pleasing dish baked to bubbly perfection.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

  • 1 pound ziti pasta (or penne/rigatoni if unavailable)
  • Olive oil, for drizzling

Meat and Sauce

  • 1 pound mild Italian sausage
  • 5 garlic cloves (smashed and minced)
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

Cream Mixture

  • 1 cup heavy cream (cold)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 pound cottage cheese
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes

Topping

  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • More fresh chopped basil for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spray a deep 9×13 inch casserole dish with nonstick spray, especially the edges, to prevent sticking.
  2. Cook Pasta: Bring a 3-quart pot of water to a rolling boil with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add ziti and cook for 5-7 minutes until almost al dente. Drain and drizzle with olive oil, stirring to coat and prevent sticking. Set aside.
  3. Cook Sausage: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and cook mild Italian sausage until fully cooked and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain and discard excess fat.
  4. Sauté Garlic: Return skillet to medium-high heat. Once hot, add minced garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  5. Add Spices: Stir in dried oregano, dried basil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook with garlic and sausage for about 1 minute.
  6. Add Tomato Ingredients: Pour in tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Lower heat to medium, bring to a bubble, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes to marry flavors.
  7. Finish Sauce: Remove skillet from heat and stir in sugar and fresh chopped basil. Set sauce aside.
  8. Thicken Cream: In the original pasta pot, whisk cold heavy cream and cornstarch until smooth. Heat over medium to a very low simmer, stirring frequently. The cream should thicken in 3-4 minutes; then remove from heat.
  9. Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Stir in cottage cheese, grated Parmesan, and 1 cup cubed mozzarella until well combined.
  10. Combine Cream and Cheese: To the thickened cream, stir in the cottage cheese mixture and 1 cup of the prepared red sauce until blended.
  11. Mix Pasta and Cheese Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the pot with the cheese and cream sauce mixture. Stir until pasta is evenly coated.
  12. Assemble Casserole: Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared casserole dish and spread evenly.
  13. Add Sauce Topping: Spread the remaining red sauce over the top of the pasta.
  14. Add Cheese Topping: Sprinkle 1 cup chopped mozzarella and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan evenly over the sauce.
  15. Cover Casserole: Spray one side of a sheet of foil with nonstick spray and cover the casserole with the sprayed side down to prevent cheese from sticking.
  16. Prepare for Baking: If the casserole is very full, place the dish on a baking sheet to catch any potential spillover during baking.
  17. Bake Covered: Bake the covered casserole at 375°F for 25 minutes.
  18. Remove Foil and Continue Baking: Take off the foil and bake an additional 25 minutes uncovered.
  19. Broil Optional: For a more browned and bubbly cheese topping, move the oven rack to the highest position and broil for 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
  20. Rest and Garnish: Let the baked ziti sit for about 10 minutes before serving to set up. Garnish generously with fresh chopped basil before serving.

Notes

  • Be careful not to overcook the pasta during boiling; it should be just under al dente as it will continue cooking in the oven.
  • Using a mild Italian sausage adds flavor without too much spice, but you can substitute with hot sausage if preferred.
  • The cottage cheese mixture adds creaminess and protein while keeping the dish lighter than traditional ricotta-based bakes.
  • Nonstick spray on foil prevents cheese from sticking, making serving easier and cleaner.
  • Resting the casserole before serving ensures cleaner slices and better texture.
  • If you can’t find ziti, penne or rigatoni are excellent substitutes because of their tubular shape that holds sauce well.

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Find it online: https://everydaykitchenmeals.com/the-best-baked-ziti-with-cottage-cheese-postpartum-ziti-recipe/