Quatro Formaggi Ziti Al Forno
My “ultimate” take on a very cozy, much loved baked pasta dish that is absolutely bursting with creamy tomato sauce and cheese – four of them to be exact. The combination of ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and my favorite – fontina – makes for a wonderful pasta bake that will fill your home with the aromas of an Italian-American restaurant.
- Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 pound ziti, cooked in salted water 1 minute shy of the package instructions
- 24-ounce jar store-bought marinara sauce (such as Rao’s)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups store-bought alfredo sauce (such as Rana)
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 heaping cup shredded fontina (see note)
- 1 cup ricotta
For the topping:
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons butter, for dotting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the middle position.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cooked and drained pasta, the marinara, tomato paste, alfredo sauce, salt, fontina, and ricotta. Pour into a sprayed/lightly greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish.Â
- In a medium bowl, stir together the parmesan, breadcrumbs, mozzarella, garlic cloves, onion powder, and oregano. Sprinkle all over the pasta mixture and then dot the top with bits of butter, for browning. Alternatively, you could drizzle a little olive oil or toss the topping with a little extra olive oil to coat. All methods will give you an extra brown crust.
- Bake, uncovered, until bubbly and golden; about 30 minutes.Â
Notes
Fontina is a pricier cheese, but it’s so flavorful and a great melting cheese as well. But if you’d prefer to substitute something less expensive, you can swap in shredded white cheddar or simply use mozzarella, instead.Â
Find it online: https://mykitchenlittle.com/2024/09/23/ziti-al-forno/