Baked Ziti With Ground Beef and Italian Sausage
A hearty and comforting baked ziti casserole features a rich meat sauce made with ground beef and Italian sausage, layered with three cheeses.
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Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly grease a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish.
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In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, then cook ground beef, Italian sausage, and onion until the meat is browned and the onion is translucent. Stir in garlic for 1 minute.
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Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper to the meat mixture; simmer for 10-12 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
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While the sauce simmers, start boiling salted water and cook ziti according to package directions, then drain well.
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In a large bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, egg, and mozzarella cheese. Add the hot drained ziti and 2 cups of the prepared meat sauce, tossing to blend.
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Layer half of the ziti mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread half of the remaining meat sauce over the pasta, then top with Parmesan and 1 cup of the remaining mozzarella.
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Add the remaining ziti mixture, then finish with the remaining meat sauce, remaining mozzarella cheese, and chopped parsley.
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Bake for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly around the edges.