Baked Napolitano ziti Recipe
Baked Napolitano ziti (you can also use penne instead of ziti if you prefer) is a rich mixture of sauce, ziti, Italian sausage (try my fresh Italian sausage), and cheese. The Italians tend to cook the ziti, pour a simple tomato sauce on top, and eat it prior to main courses. But the recipe I have created is primarily for a main course. Don’t forget a little Chianti or other red wine with it. It is also fairly easy to make especially if you have the sauce made ahead of time. I always use my Botticelli’s rich Italian tomato sauce.
Ingredients (6 servings):
1 ¼ pounds mild Italian sausage
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cups of tomato sauce (Botticelli’s rich Italian tomato sauce)
1 pound ziti or penne noodles
½ pound fresh mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Bake the sausage in an oven at 350 degrees F for about 30 to 40 minutes (until brown). Once it has cooked, cut each link in half along the length and then cut the halves up into about ¼ to ½ inch pieces. Reserve.
Meanwhile
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Boil the pasta (use fresh if you can) in a few quarts of salted water for about 8 to 10 minutes (al dente). Pour into a colander to remove the water. Place the olive oil in the same pan you cooked the pasta. Add the pasta and stir. Add the tomato sauce and sausage along with the salt and pepper and mix well. Pour everything into a large baking dish and cut slices of mozzarella to cover the top. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the mozzarella has begun to brown.
Bon appétit.
Browned Italian sausage
The sausage cut
The pasta mixture
Prior to cooking
After cooking
Magnifico
Where can I find a good Italian beef recipe?
I’m looking for a recipe that will render Italian beef like the sandwiches at the Mr. Novi’s (Nova’s?) restaurant in the Chicago area. Please help! I love those sandwiches.
Answer
ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICHES
5-6 pound top round roast
2 lg. cloves garlic, cut in half
Salt
Pepper
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
Oregano
1 c. red wine
1 c. water
Cut four slits in top of roast. Insert garlic halves. Place roast in roasting pan. Liberally sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Completely cover with oregano until roast looks green. Add wine and water to pan. Cover and cook in 325 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and when cool, chill in refrigerator. When chilled, slice beef paper thin (this can be taken back to the grocery store where purchased and sliced by the butcher). If beef becomes overcooked, it will crumble when cut but this is OK. Return beef to the roasting pan and reheat into juices adding beef broth.
Serve on French or Italian bread, cut in 3-4 inch slices and split horizontally. Serve with crushed red peppers or peppers of your choice.
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