Baked Ziti

There are a few recipes that are sacred to any Italian family. This is one of them. By popular demand, here is my family's recipe for baked ziti. 

Preheat the over to 350 degrees

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil 

Cook the ziti until very al dente, approximately 7 to 8 minutes 

(Note: the pasta will continue cooking in the oven)

Drain the ziti and run under cool water.

Place the ziti back into the pot

Add 4 to 5 cups of ricotta cheese to the cooled ziti

Add 2 cups of shredded mozzarella

Add a heavy palm full of dried parsley flakes

Add a half a cup of pecorino romano cheese, one beaten egg, 

a teaspoon of salt, and a half a teaspoon of pepper

Add 4 to 5 ladles of tomato sauce

Mix together

Place ziti in a prepared baking dish

 Top the ziti with the remaining 2 cups of shredded mozzarella

Cover the ziti with tin foil

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes (or until cheese is melted and ziti is warmed through). 
Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes. 

 Remove from the oven

 Top with remaining tomato sauce and serve

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