Kitchen Classics

It’s December, which for many people means a traditional, tried and true lineup of meats, sides, desserts and heritage treats. Food traditions run deep, and especially so during the holiday season; so I won’t try to sell you on a new way to cook ham or meatballs. Instead, I will share a family favorite that fits any season.

Cheese and pasta go together like peas and carrots, bread and butter, and milk and cookies. Keep reading for Cook’s Illustrated’s baked ziti recipe, followed by a set of notes, substitutions, and variations I’ve found successful over the years. Ingredients 1 pound ziti, penne, or other short, tubular pasta Salt and pepper 1 pound (2 cups) whole milk or 1 percent large curd cottage cheese 2 large eggs 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

KITCHEN 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

CLASSICS 5 garlic cloves, minced By Diane Lochner 1 (23 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1 teaspoon sugar 3/4 teaspoon corn starch 1 cup heavy cream 8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, cut into quarter-inch pieces (1-1/2 cups) Directions Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through. Drain pasta and leave in colander (do not wash pot). Meanwhile, whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and one cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Heat oil and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until garlic turns golden but not brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano, bring to simmer, and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1/2 cup basil; add sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir cornstarch and heavy cream together in small bowl; transfer mixture to now-empty pasta pot over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Off heat, stir in cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup of the tomato sauce, and 3/4 cup of mozzarella. Add pasta to pot and stir to combine. Transfer pasta to 13 x 9-inch baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over top. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool casserole for 10-15 minutes, then sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve. That’s the recipe as Cook’s Illustrated presented it, here are some helpful real-world tips to make it easier. Pasta: Ziti, penne, and mostaccioli pasta work well. I use penne most often. Cheeses: I’ve only ever used large-curd cottage cheese. Lately, I’ve been doubling the mozzarella cheese to 16 ounces, and have found two packages of Belgioioso “pearls” to be perfect for this dish (no grating or cutting required). I don’t recommend pre-shredded mozzarella, nor the powdered variety of Parmesan cheese.

Tomatoes: Drain the diced tomatoes. You don’t need the extra liquid. Petite diced tomatoes work well too, if you prefer smaller tomato chunks.

Spices: I use minced garlic from a jar instead of dealing with actual garlic cloves. Fresh basil isn’t a requirement either, dried basil works just fine. Use dried oregano flakes, not the fine powder.

Baking dish: I use a glass baking dish; ceramic would likely also work well. I would not recommend an aluminum cake pan.

Cheese grater: A Microplane grater is ideal for grating the Parmesan cheese. Notes on directions

I diverge a bit from the order in which Cook’s says to do things, though I agree with them that setting to 350 is a good preliminary step.

First, I get the cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan mixed in a bowl (I add to the bowl one and a half packages (12 ounces) of the mozzarella pearls at this stage, too).

Second, I start the sauce, and while that is simmering, I start the water for the pasta. While the pasta and sauce are going on the stove, I mix the cream and corn starch, get the baking dish out, and find the aluminum foil.

When the pasta is done to your liking (the Cook’s people are seemingly very particular about their pasta. Cook it as soft or firm as you prefer), drain and leave in colander. I tend not to actually simmer the cream over medium heat, as it can scorch quickly, so I use residual heat from the pasta pot and burner to heat the cream. Then, place the pasta back in the pot, followed by the cheese mixture, and 1 cup of the sauce. Stir this well.

Pour carefully into the baking dish and spread to the corners. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top (don’t stir it all up). Place the remaining half-package (4 ounces) of mozzarella pearls on top, along with the remaining 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan. Garnish with fresh basil (optional).

I usually forget to spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray. That step is helpful to prevent sticking when you remove the foil at the 30 minute mark. Variations

Gluten free? Replace the pasta with your favorite gluten free version.

Meat lovers? Cook the meat (hamburger, sausage, etc) thoroughly and add to the baking dish before you pour the sauce on top. I use 1/3 pound Italian sausage and only put it in one half of the dish, to accommodate preferences.

Like life spicy? Adjust the garlic, oregano, pepper amounts; add red pepper flakes, red chili, or others. Try a fresh or dried parsley garnish at the end.

Love tater tots? I suppose you could add a layer of tots on top to truly make it a Midwestern dish. If you do this, send me a picture and full report!

This recipe generates a lot of dirty bowls and pots, so enlist help in cleaning as you go. Serves 8-10, but works well for smaller numbers (with ample leftovers).

Diane Lochner is a librarian and home cook, living on a century farm in rural Minnesota. She can be reached at 507bookcook@gmail.com v