FOOD FRIDAY!

BAKED ZITI

We'll be getting to warmer days soon enough, when these stick-to-your-ribs casseroles won't seem so appetizing, so try this scrumptious dish while there's still a chill in the air (or turn on the air conditioner if you never have such a chill).

This is an adaptation of another winner from Cooks Illustrated. They research recipes of perennial favorites and, through seemingly endless trial and error, but based on a thorough knowledge of food science, come up with delicious and fool-proof versions. You may have had baked ziti before, but I'll bet it hasn't been this good.

A couple of notes: one of their breakthroughs is using cottage cheese, either full- or low-fat, instead of the traditional ricotta. They say it's creamier. I didn't have cottage cheese on hand, but I did have some low-fat ricotta, so I used that. It was delicious and I can't imagine how much better cottage cheese could be, but I'll probably try it one day. Another breakthrough: boil the pasta for only about 5 minutes, or just until it begins to soften. It will cook completely in the oven; otherwise it will turn to mush. Also, their version uses a plain tomato sauce; I add vegetables and a pound of Italian sausage.

1 lb. ziti or other short, tubular pasta

1 lb. whole milk or 1% cottage cheese or ricotta
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1½ cups), divided

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage, or, if links, meat squeezed out of links
1 medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
5 medium garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and chopped

1 28-oz. can tomato sauce
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. sugar
black pepper

1 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream

8 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into small chunks (about 1 ½ cups)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a gallon of water to boil in a Dutch oven, add salt to taste and, cook ziti until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside in colander. Do not wash Dutch oven.

Mix together cottage cheese or ricotta, eggs, and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl and set aside.

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat and add sausage, onion, green pepper, celery, parsley and garlic. Sauté until vegetables are softened and meat is no longer pink. Pour off excess fat if necesssary. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, oregano and basil; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in sugar, then taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper in needed.

Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in a small bowl, then transfer mixture to now-empty Dutch oven set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook and stir until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove Dutch oven from heat and add ricotta mixture, one cup of the meat and tomato sauce, and half the chunked mozzarella, then stir to mix well. Add pasta and stir to combine it thoroughly with the sauce.

Transfer pasta to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, then spread remaining meat and tomato sauce evenly over the pasta. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about another 30 minutes. Remove to rack and cool for 20 minutes before serving.