Baked Ziti

Ingredients

12 medium-sized white mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 28-oz can tomato puree
4 large tomatoes, chopped
8 basil leaves, torn into bits
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
1 small zucchini, chopped finely
salt
black pepper


1 package ziti
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta
8 oz. mozzarella, cut into small cubes (1/2 inch x 1/2 inch)

Instructions

Rinse mushrooms in a colander using cold water (don't soak!). Drain, slice and set aside.

Saute the onion, then add mushrooms, zucchini and garlic and cook for ~10 minutes. Add tomatoes (and puree), basil, spinach, salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes on low.

Cook ziti acc'd to package instructions, drain and toss with 3 cups of the sauce and grated parmesan.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spoon half of the mix into a baking dish. Spread ricotta on top. Pour on one more cupof the sauce and sprinkle with the mozzarella cubes. Top with remaining ziti, sauce and grated parmesan. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15-30 minues more (until center is hot and the sauce bubbles around the edges). Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.


adapted from The Sopranos Family Cookbook p. 41