I have been using a recipe for Ilan's Ziti for years. I have yet to meet Ilan! This recipe has been handed down several times and been through many iterations so for a lack of a better name, I'll stick with Ilan. I'd use Ziti noodles, but they don't sell them at Costco so we make due with spirals most of the time.
Special Equipment: none
Time Management:
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
12 oz of your favorite noodles
1/2 medium onion, diced small
1 medium zucchini, shredded in a cheese grater
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp oregano, divided
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
8 oz ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 chicken breast, diced small
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring water to a boil, add pasta, and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
While making pasta, add 1 Tbsp olive oil to large pot and add chicken, 1 1/2 tsp oregano, salt and pepper to taste and cook through. Remove from pot and set aside.
In large pot, add remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil then onion, zucchini, garlic, remaining 1 1/2 tsp oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for aprox 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat.
Add crushed and diced tomatoes, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, and add back diced chicken and combine well. Add in noodles until you reach desired sauce to noodle ratio. Sometimes I don't end up adding all the noodles.
Place mixture in 8x13 pan or use two 8x8 pans (so you can freeze one!). Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 40-45 minutes until cheese is bubbling.
