Pasta and Rice Dinners

Baked Ziti

Short cook, big tray-bake energy. The ziti goes in half-boiled so it finishes in the sauce instead of dissolving in it.

What goes in

• 1 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage, casings off
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 24 oz marinara sauce
• 14 oz crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning · 1/2 tsp chilli flakes · 1 tsp salt
• 1 lb dry ziti, boiled 5 minutes only and drained

Stir in at the end

• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 2 1/2 cups mozzarella, grated
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

How to make it

1. Brown the sausage with the onion, about 8 minutes, and drain. Stir in the garlic.
2. Tip it into the pot with the marinara, crushed tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning, chilli flakes and salt. Lid on.
3. Low 3 hours or high 2 hours.
4. Boil the ziti for exactly 5 minutes, drain it, and fold it through the sauce with the ricotta in spoonfuls and half the mozzarella.
5. Scatter the rest of the mozzarella and the parmesan over the top. Lid on, 30 minutes on high, until the cheese melts.
6. For a browned top, lift the insert out and put it under the grill for 4 minutes if your insert is grill-safe.