Baked Zita alla Vodka 🍝

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 30 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb ziti

10 garlic cloves (chopped)

¼ of a large red onion (chopped)

6 oz tomato paste

½ cup chopped fresh parsley (divided)

8-12 oz fresh mozzarella cut into cubes (divided)

1 cup + 6 tbsp grated pecorino romano (divided)

15 oz ricotta

2 tbsp butter

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper (to taste)

50 ml vodka (mini bottle)

1 cup heavy cream

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

¼ cup water

¾ cup pasta water

¾ oz fresh basil ripped up (divided)

Directions

In a pot add butter and olive oil. Once the butter is melted add in the red onion, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, & pepper. Saute that for a few minutes until translucent and fragrant.

Add in the tomato paste and brown that up for a few minutes until it's a burnt orange red color. Then sir in the titos and let the alcohol burn out for about 2 minutes.

Then add in the can of crushed tomatoes and fill the can with ¼ cup of water and add it to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower it to a simmer, and let that simmer for 10 minutes.

Boil the ziti noodles in salted water until al dente.

Next add in the heavy cream, fill the measuring cup that had the cream in it with ¾ cup of pasta water, and add it to the pot. Also add in salt, pepper, ½ cup Pecorino Romano, half of the ripped up basil, and give that a stir. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower it to a simmer, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.

In a bowl add ricotta, 4-5 oz of cubed fresh mozzarella, ½ cup Pecorino Romano, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, salt & pepper, and a ½ cup of the vodka sauce from the pot. Mix that until combined. Then add the cooked ziti noodles and everything together.

For layering, first take a 9x13 baking pan and add a ladle full of vodka sauce to the bottom of the dish. Then add in half of the ricotta noodle mixture. Then add 2-3 oz of the cubed mozzarella and 3 tbsp pecorino romano. Then add 2 ladles full of vodka sauce. Then the other half of the ricotta pasta mixture. Then add 2 more ladles full of vodka sauce. For the last layer add 2-3 oz of cubed up mozzarella, 3 tbsp pecorino romano, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, the other half of the ripped up basil, and top that with some cracked black pepper.

Cover with foil and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes or until browned and bubbly! Enjoy!

Nutrition

• Calories: 498 kcal
• Total Fat: 25 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0.1 g
• Cholesterol: 68 mg
• Sodium: 249 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 50 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Total Sugars: 5 g
• Protein: 15 g