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baked ziti is pure comfort in a dish
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hearty cheesy and perfect for feeding a
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crowd start by cooking 12 ounces of ziti
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pasta in salted water until Al Dente for
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extra flavor add a splash of olive oil
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and a pinch of garlic powder to the
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boiling water while that's boiling heat
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some olive oil in a large skillet add
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one L pound of ground beef or diced
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chicken whichever you're craving and
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cook until Brown for a richer flavor try
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mixing both Meats I like adding a little
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garlic and onion for extra flavor Pro
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tip saut the garlic first for a minute
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before adding the onion to avoid burning
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once the meat's cooked pour in a jar of
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your favorite marinara sauce let it
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simmer for about 5 minutes so the
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flavors come together if you're like me
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you'll sneak a taste right there
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meanwhile in a bowl mix together one cup
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of ricotta cheese one beaten egg and a
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handful of grated Parmesan here's a tip
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add a pinch of salt and pepper to the
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ricotta mixture for extra flavor for a
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fresh twist try add adding a bit of
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lemon zest it brightens up the dish
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beautifully drain the pasta and toss it
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with the sauce mixture for extra flavor
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add a pinch of red pepper flakes then
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layer half of it in a baking dish dollop
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on the ricotta mixture for extra
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creaminess mix in a bit of heavy cream
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sprinkle a generous amount of shredded
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mozzarella use freshly shredded cheese
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for the best melt and top with the
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remaining pasta make sure to spread it
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evenly finish it off with another layer
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of mozzarella this will give a nice
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Golden Crust and a little more parmesan
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it adds a wonderful sharpness because
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more cheese is always a good idea bake
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until bubbly and golden bake it at 375°
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F for about 25 minutes or until it's
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bubbling and golden on top let it rest
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for a few minutes before digging in
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it'll hold together better though it's
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hard to wait for an extra crispy top
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broil for the last 2 minutes that cheesy
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Saucy bite absolutely worth the effort
