Baked Ziti

The Little Cook's Baked Ziti

I have found dozens of recipes for baked ziti, but for some reason I keep trying new ones. As you can tell by the photo, this latest one turned out pretty dang good! So here is The Little Cook's latest variation on the theme of Baked Ziti.

Ingredients

• 1 lb of your favorite type of pasta, precooked as to package directions
• 1 tub of ricotta cheese
• 1 large (20 oz?) jar of your favorite spaghetti or marinara sauce - I used home-made
• 1c water
• 1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 pkg (about 6 - 8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 pkg (about 6 - 8 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 small jar/can of black olives, cut in half

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 9x13 inch lasagna or cake pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
3. Place cooked pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add ricotta cheese, 3/4 of the jar of spaghetti/marinara sauce and water. Mix in parsley and salt (about 1 tsp). Fold mixture until blended.
4. Cover the bottom of the baking pan with the remainder of sauce. Spoon pasta mixture on top, evenly spreading with a spatula. Sprinkle cheeses evenly on top to cover. Sprinkle olives over the cheese.
5. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the top is slightly golden in color.
6. Let set for about 10 minutes, for the pasta to settle, before enjoying. Serve with a green salad, additional olives and some good fresh bread. Mangia!