Baked ziti was an occasional indulgence in my adult life ... my sis and the kids would go for it and clams casino (I clammed on the Long Island coast as a kid so they were a staple) when I visited from LA.
Pasta and pizza came to me in my late teens. My dad's palate ... how can I say it nicely ... was limited. I don't even remember my mom serving spaghetti or us going to an Italian restaurant.
Suffice to say ... I LOVE pasta. So when I went Paleo it became a problem. Zoodles ... and swoodles ... and Shiritaki ... OH MY!
Then I discovered Banza. It's low carb but chickpeas are a no-no on a Paleo diet. So I'm exploring other options. But Banza ... lots of shapes you can't get in Gluten Free pasta ... like bowties ... an early comfort food for me ...
Recently, I had a taste for that baked ziti I happily once shared with my family. And also had a box of Banza ziti in my pantry. So ...
I scoured recipes for the best way to do this almost-Paleo (obviously the pasta wouldn't make it totally Paleo). And came up with this concoction ...
It DID obviously have to be Dairy Free. So I began with grating up Miyoko's mozzarella and mixing half of it with a container of Kite Hill ricotta and some (about a cup) Follow Your Heart sour cream (REALLY tastes like the real thing).
Cook up some sausage (you can use Beyond Meat if you want to go vegetarian) and add a couple of cups pasta sauce (I used my own homemade [coming soon] but you can use a good jarred sauce too).
Add half to the "cheeses" and sour cream and stir, fold in cooked pasta, top with the other half of the sauce, the other half of the "mozzarella", and some Paleo Italian "bread crumbs" and bake.
I know I always say how great stuff on here is but this FAR exceeded my expectations. And it was far easier than other baked ziti recipes to boot.
Oh ... a little aside ... the amounts of many things (sauce, sour cream, sausage) are approximate as this is truly my own creation (my thanks to the creation gods!). Want it saucier ... add more sauce. Want it creamier ... add more sour cream.
Since I live alone ... I often freeze individual servings of stuff I like to eat later. I ATE ALL OF THIS!
So why don't you too ... Eat it UP ... FOR REAL!
AuthorJill PlaceYields8 ServingsPrep Time20 minsCook Time35 minsTotal Time55 minsCategoryDairy-Free, Entree, Food-Sensitive, Gluten-Free, PastaAn almost Paleo Gluten Free Dairy Free concoction-creation that's even better than the "real" baked ziti. And super-easy to boot. Eat it UP ... FOR REAL!
Saute sausage in skillet over medium heat until browned; add sauce and heat through; set aside.
Mix together ricotta, sour cream and half the grated mozzarella cheese in large bowl. Add half of the sausage-sauce mixture and mix thoroughly.
Add the cooked pasta and mix.
Spray an 8 x 8-inch pan with cooking spray or mist with oil. Add the pasta mixture and smooth in pan. top with the rest of the sauce, sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella and top with the Paleo "crumbs".
Bake at 350 degrees F until hot and bubbly, about 35-40 minutes.
Ingredients
Directions
Saute sausage in skillet over medium heat until browned; add sauce and heat through; set aside.
Mix together ricotta, sour cream and half the grated mozzarella cheese in large bowl. Add half of the sausage-sauce mixture and mix thoroughly.
Add the cooked pasta and mix.
Spray an 8 x 8-inch pan with cooking spray or mist with oil. Add the pasta mixture and smooth in pan. top with the rest of the sauce, sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella and top with the Paleo "crumbs".
Bake at 350 degrees F until hot and bubbly, about 35-40 minutes.
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