Smoked Baked Ziti
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Recipe Intro From spinachandbacon
Learning that I can make baked ziti on my smoker has been a game changer for me. My kitchen gets too warm during the summer months and this dish is a great dish to throw on the smoker or grill to feed a crowd. This smoked baked ziti has all the best parts of traditional baked ziti - a flavorful sauce, tender pasta, and delicious melty cheese. It is so tasty and I know you will enjoy it!
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Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage (optional)
- 1 (28 ounce) can Tuttorosso San Marzano Style Whole Peeled Pear Tomatoes with Basil & Sea Salt
- 1 14.5 ounce can Tuttorosso Diced Tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried onion
- 4 fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese (whole milk low moisture)
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan
- 16 ounces dried ziti pasta
Method
Step 1
Brown the sausage in a large pan, if you are using it. Once it is cooked through, turn off the heat and set aside.
Step 2
Make the sauce by adding the olive oil, minced garlic, tomatoes, dried onion, and 1/2 tsp sea salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover it, and then let it simmer on low heat for about 35 minutes. Crush the tomatoes with a back of a spoon, add the basil leaves and then simmer for additional 15 minutes. If you are using sausage, add the cooked sausage to your sauce at any point.
Step 3
Boil the pasta for 8 minutes and once it is done, add it to a bowl with 1 cup of sauce and mix.
Step 4
Preheat a smoker to 350°F.
Step 5
Make the ricotta cheese mixture in a medium bowl by combining ricotta cheese, egg, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, the 1/2 cup parmesan.
Step 6
Assemble the baked ziti in a 9x13 cast iron pan. Add half of your sauce to the bottom of the pan, followed by half of the ricotta mixture. Then, add the ziti, remaining sauce, remaining ricotta, and top with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
Step 7
Place the baked ziti (uncovered) in the smoker for 35 minutes, or until top layer of cheese browns and bubbles.
Step 8
Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.