Baked Ziti with Eggplant

Welcome to your new favorite dinner recipe: Frank Occhino's Baked Ziti with Eggplant is the cozy, cheesy dish you've been dreaming of. It's perfect for any family meal or when you just need some comfort food.

By Frank Occhino

@uncle_franks_backyard_pizza

April 30, 2024

Baked Ziti with Eggplant

By Frank Occhino

Ingredients

3

lbs ground beef
1

lb ground pork
1

onion, finely diced
3

carrots, finely diced
3

celery stalks, finely diced
5

sprigs parsley, chopped
8

oz red wine
32

oz homemade tomato sauce
6

oz tomato paste
1.5

lbs rigatoni pasta
3

cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or more if desired)
15

oz ricotta cheese
1/4

cup grated Parmesan cheese
4

tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

TOTAL TIME

45 minutes

6-8 servings

There’s nothing quite like the aroma of Mama’s baked ziti filling the kitchen. A dish made with love and generations of tradition. Each layer tells a story: the rich, slow-simmered meat sauce, brimming with tender ground beef and pork, perfectly complements the al dente rigatoni that soaks up every bit of flavor. Creamy dollops of ricotta and the gooey, golden mozzarella topping create a harmony of textures that’s simply irresistible.

An older woman in a red apron smiles while holding a large baking dish of baked pasta with tomato sauce in a kitchen. She uses a red checkered towel to handle the hot dish.

STEP 1

For the Meat Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and parsley. Sauté until softened, about 10–15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

A kitchen counter with bowls of ricotta, chopped beef, shredded cheese, parsley, celery, seasonings, olive oil, pasta, tomato sauce, and a glass of red wine, with a Gratsi wine box in the background.

STEP 2

Add the ground beef and pork to the pot. Season again with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-low heat until browned, about 20 minutes.

A person holds a spoonful of chunky tomato sauce above a red pot on a stove. Kitchen items, including a yellow lemonade pitcher and olive oil bottle, are visible on the white countertop in the background.

STEP 3

Stir in the Gratsi Red, allowing it to evaporate.

STEP 4

Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste, mixing well. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

STEP 5

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

STEP 6

Cook the rigatoni until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and return to the pot. Mix in about 3 cups of the prepared meat sauce.

STEP 7

In a large baking dish, begin layering the ingredients:

• Start with a layer of meat sauce.

• Add a layer of pasta.

• Add dollops of ricotta cheese, a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella, and a touch of Parmesan.

• Repeat the layers until the dish is full, finishing with a top layer of mozzarella cheese.

A person in a vegetable-patterned apron ladles meat sauce over pasta in a large metal baking dish, preparing a baked pasta dish with visible ground meat, sauce, rigatoni, and melted cheese. Steam rises from the hot food.

A person wearing a vegetable-patterned apron sprinkles cheese over a baking dish filled with rigatoni pasta, meat sauce, and dollops of ricotta cheese in a kitchen.

STEP 8

Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap, then foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

STEP 9

Remove the foil and plastic wrap, and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

STEP 9

Let the baked ziti rest for 10 minutes before serving. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

A hand grates parmesan cheese over a serving of baked pasta with meat sauce on a white plate with a red rim, set on a wooden surface.

Baked Ziti with Eggplant

Baked Ziti with Eggplant