Baked ziti

Ingredients

• 450 g of ziti or other shell-shaped pasta
• 360 ml of marinara sauce
• 110 g of grated mozzarella
• 110 g of ricotta
• 110 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons of fresh basil, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped oregano
• 3 tablespoons of finely chopped Italian parsley
• 30 ml of bread crumbs
• 1 pinch of crushed bell pepper (optional)
• salt
• pepper

Preheat the oven to 225 °C (425 °F). Generously grease a large baking dish.

Combine the ricotta, egg, basil, oregano, parsley, and about half of the mozzarella and Parmesan in a large bowl until everything is well mixed. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook the ziti pasta in a large pot of salted water until they are cooked “al dente.” Drain them thoroughly.

In a large bowl or pot, combine the ziti pasta with the marinara sauce and bell pepper until the pasta is well coated. Add the ricotta mixture and stir until it begins to melt. Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish and spread evenly with a spoon.

Distribute the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown and starts to bubble.