Recipe – Pasta Forno (Baked Ziti)

Pasta Forno is an Italian baked ziti recipe that originated in the city-state of Venice. The ingredients are simple, and all of the ingredients you need for this dish are also simple: butter, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and salt. The first recipe for Pasta Forno was created around 500 years ago in Venice. This simple dish became a favorite in Venice because it was so easy to make. With the popularity of this dish, it soon spread to other Italian cities, and today it is made by people all over the world.

This baked Pasta Forno (baked ziti) recipe is a simple version which makes it a great weeknight family dish. Also, this Pasta Forno recipe can be easily dressed up by adding some cooked sausage, chicken, or ground meat.

Basic Recipe Information

Preparation time

• 5 minutes

Cooking time

• 60 minutes

Servings

• 8

Ingredients

• 1 (firmer pasta ) or 1 1/2 (al dente pasta) cups water
• 24 ounces of your favorite spaghetti sauce (with or without meat)
• 1 pound dry pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli, etc.)
• 3/4 cup of shredded cheese or a combination of cheese

Preparation Directions

• Preheat oven to 400⁰F.
• Combine and mix sauce and water thoroughly.
• Pour dry pasta into an oven-safe casserole dish.
• Cover the pasta with the sauce mixture and gently stir to combine.
• Cover with foil.
• Place the casserole dish on the center shelf of the oven and Bake for 45 minutes.
• Then, add cheese on top and bake uncovered for 5-10 minutes until the cheese has melted.