Italian-American · main

Baked Ziti with Spinach and Ricotta

Baked Ziti with Spinach and Ricotta reads umami 6.1, richness 5.4 and salinity 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 1 hr 22 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.1 · Richness 5.4 · Salinity 4.7 · Allium 4.5 · Sweetness 3.4 · Nutty 2.5 · Funk & Ferment 2.2 · Fruity 2.1 · Sourness 2.1 · Heat 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.6 · Earthy 1.4 · Bitterness 1.3 · Herbaceous 1.3 · Floral 0.8

What's in it (15)

Time & effort: about 1 hr 22 min (1 hr 12 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 140.7 kcal, 8 g protein, 5.8 g fat, 13.9 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

  1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti until just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package's low end, 7-8 minutes; it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water, and toss the ziti with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil so it doesn't clump.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning translucent, 5-6 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and loses its raw tomato edge, 15-18 minutes.
  5. While the sauce simmers, wilt the spinach in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat, tossing constantly, until just collapsed, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a colander, press firmly with the back of a spoon to squeeze out excess liquid, and roughly chop.
  6. In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the nutmeg, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the chopped spinach, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper until evenly combined.
  7. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toss the drained ziti with two-thirds of the tomato sauce, loosening with a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce looks tight.
  8. Spread half the sauced ziti in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Spoon the ricotta-spinach filling evenly over the pasta, then top with the remaining sauced ziti. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top and scatter with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
  9. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake until bubbling around the edges, about 20 minutes.
  10. Uncover and continue baking until the cheese is deeply golden in spots and the sauce bubbles at the center, 15-18 minutes more.
  11. Let the ziti rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving; this lets the layers set so servings hold together.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.