Mom’s baked ziti

I’m a lasagna gal to my core, but for those who have made lasagna, you understand why this is a problem. This beautiful, gooey, layered baked pasta dish is delicious and cozy, but it’s a b*tch to make, even if you don’t want to make each component from scratch.

Today was a Monday, but it was the kind of Monday where it was cold and dark when I left work. All we wanted was something cozy.

Enter, my mom’s baked ziti. No, it’s not the same — but it’s really cheesy, has a layer and hits a similar spot. And better yet, it takes 30 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of baking, which is manageable.

If we were still living in the late 90s I’d tell you to serve this with a piece of Texas Toast Garlic Bread. The fashion of that decade has resurfaced, but the food trends are lagging.

Mom’s Baked Ziti

Serves 4-6

What you need

• 1/2 pound poke pasta (e.g. ziti, rigatoni, penne, fusilli, etc.)

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced or crushed

• 1/2 pound ground meat (beef, Italian sausage, a mixture of the two)

• 26 oz your fave pasta sauce (make it, buy it, I don’t care)

• 4-5 slices of provolone (or equivalent) cheese

• 1-1/2 cups ricotta (mom’s way: sour cream)

• Low-moisture mozzarella, shredded

• Parm, grated

• Olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, milk/cream

How to make it

1. Bring a pot of water to boil, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and butter an 8-inch baking dish.

2. Heat 1-2 TBS olive oil in a skillet, add your onion, garlic and meat, cooking until the meat is broken up and browned throughout. Add the pasta sauce and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste along the way and season as needed to bring it to life.

3. Meanwhile, season the ricotta with salt and pepper, adding some milk or cream to thin it out a bit if needed so it’s spreadable.

4. Ideally your water is now boiling, and you can salt it and cook your pasta while the sauce is simmering. When both the pasta and sauce are done, drain the pasta, add it to the meat sauce and stir gently until incorporated.

5. Spoon half the pasta mixture into your prepared pan, then layer with the cheese slices and spread the ricotta mixture on top. Spoon the rest of the pasta mixture on the cheese layer, then top with the shredded mozzarella and parm until it’s covered.

6. Bake for about 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbling — broil for a few minutes at the end if needed to get it brown. Let it roast for 5-10 minutes before serving.

7. Serve with something refreshing, like a kale Caesar salad.