Baked Ziti with Meat Sauce
My daughter loves baked ziti and she loves pasta with meat sauce- so I made baked ziti with meat sauce. Why not?? It is easy to make and yummy!!
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground dark meat turkey
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 cups fresh tomato sauce
- Salt
- 1 pound penne, cooked al dente
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the turkey meat and brown at a high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the thyme and rosemary and tomato sauce. Add salt and bring to a boil and simmer at a low heat covered with a lid for 20 to 25 minutes. Take the lid off and add the al dente pasta and mix well and check for seasonings.
Transfer half of the pasta mixture to an oven proof dish. Top with the fresh mozzarella and basil, distributing evenly. Top with the rest of the pasta mixture. Add the shredded cheese and top and bake, covered for 45 minutes. Take the foil off and bake to brown the top for another 15 minutes. Serve warm.
