Baked Ziti
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef or sweet Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 red bell pepper, chopped, about 1/2 cup
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can ripe olives
2 tablespoons olive tapenade
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or small clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces rigatoni, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Preparation
Sauté ground beef, onion, and bell pepper in a large skillet until onion is tender and beef is lightly browned. Drain off excess fat; add tomatoes, tomato sauce, olives, olive tapenade, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well; stir in ziti or elbow macaroni and 1 cup of the cheese; transfer to a 2 1/2-quart casserole. Top with the remaining cup of cheese.Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
