Baked Béchamel Ziti

I was inspired to make baked ziti, when I saw a package of uncut ziti, at my local Italian deli. Pasta tubes, the size of drinking straws. I thought they would be fun to work with. In the future, I will buy cut ziti, as I found the tubed ziti hard to break. 

All components can be prepared ahead of time. Also, you can assemble the day before. This is a great dish, that gets even better the next day. 

This is baked ziti, but if you swap the ziti for lasagna noodles, it’s Béchamel Lasagna. 

If you’re concerned your pan is too small; reduce the dry ziti to 10 ounces. Or, bake in individual casseroles, to order.

A YouTube demonstration video is available, by clicking this link.

BAKED BÉCHAMEL ZITI

 

RAGÚ:

1 Pound 93% lean ground turkey

1 Tablespoon mushroom powder

1 Tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning Sauce

1 Pound ground Italian sausage

2 Tablespoons cooking oil

1 Small onion, diced (6 ounces)

14 Roasted garlic cloves, mashed

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon pepper

2 Teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)

2 Teaspoons oregano

3 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 (6 ounce) Cans Contadina Tomato Paste

3 Cups water

1 Cup pasta water

1/4 Cup fresh parsley, chopped, divided for garnish

1/4 Cup fresh basil, chopped, divided for garnish

 

BÉCHAMEL SAUCE:

6 Tablespoons butter

6 Tablespoons flour

4 Cups milk, warmed in microwave

1/2 Teaspoon white pepper

1/8 Teaspoon allspice - or - nutmeg 

 

ZITI:

12 Ounces dry ziti

Water, to boil

2 Teaspoons salt, to boil

 

CHEESES:

1 Pound mozzarella, shredded

6 Ounces parmesan, shredded, rind put into ragú

4 Ounces Gruyère, shredded

 

TO PREPARE RAGU:

In a medium sized bowl, mix mushroom powder and Kitchen Bouquet into ground turkey. Mix Italian sausage into turkey. Set aside. Heat cooking oil, in a large skillet, over medium high heat.  Brown and crumble meat. Add onion to meat, cooking until softened. Sop up any grease and liquids rendered, with a paper towel. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, sugar, and mashed garlic. Stir in tomato paste and water. Bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and basil. Remove cheese rind. Fold half of the ragú, into strained pasta. Reserve the remaining ragú to layer. Makes 4 pounds ragú.

 

TO PREPARE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE:

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk flour into butter, and cook for 1 minute. Stream milk into flour, while whisking continuously. Season with pepper and allspice. Makes 3 3/4 cups béchamel sauce.

 

TO PREPARE ZITI:

Fill a stock pot half way with water. Bring to a boil. Stir in salt. Stir in ziti, to prevent pasta sticking. Parboil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ziti will finish cooking in oven. Reserve pasta water for ragú. Strain pasta. Return pasta to pot. Stir in half of the ragú. Makes 12 ounces prepared ziti.

 

TO PREPARE CHEESES:

Blend all cheeses, in a large bowl. Divide in half, for 2 layers. Makes 1 pound 4 ounces cheese blend.

 

TO ASSEMBLE:

In a large casserole, or 9 X 13 X 2 5/8” baking pan; layer in this order:2 spoonfuls ragú, to coat bottom of pan, ragú coated ziti, half of cheese, remaining ragú, béchamel sauce, remaining cheese. Tent with foil. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Remove foil. Continue baking an additional 40 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Let sit 30 - 60 minutes, to firm. Garnish with diced basil and parsley. Makes 9.2 pounds Baked Béchamel Ziti.

Béchamel

 

Béchamel is a French Sauce, also known as White Sauce, or Mother Sauce. It’s the foundation to great sauces; like Macaroni and Cheese, and my favorite, Sausage Gravy.

I’m using Béchamel as a component, of my newest recipe: Baked Béchamel Ziti. I love the creamy texture it gives to the baked ziti, which could, otherwise, be dry.

For my Baked Béchamel Ziti, I seasoned the Béchamel with allspice, and white pepper. You will season your Béchamel according to the recipe you are making, that includes a Béchamel.

A YouTube demonstration video is available, by clicking this link.

BÉCHAMEL

 

INGREDIENTS:

6 Tablespoons butter

6 Tablespoons flour

4 Cups milk, warmed

 

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium size saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour to combine. This flour mixture is called a roux. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes; being careful not to brown the roux. Whisk milk into roux, in small   increments. Smooth mixture, by whisking; before adding more milk. When you are confident all lumps have been smoothed out, pour in remaining milk. Continue whisking to a medium boil. Béchamel should thicken within 1 to 2 minutes of medium boil. Béchamel will coat the back of spoon, when done. Season according to the recipe that requires the Béchamel. Makes 3 3/4 cups Béchamel.

 

If your Béchamel isn’t thickening: Reduce heat to low. In a small bowl, blend 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon flour. Add 1/2 cup Béchamel to small bowl, to temper. Stream tempered roux into Béchamel. Increase heat to medium. Resume to medium boil.

Gingerbread Butter

 

Gingerbread Butter can be a superstar in your kitchen. It’s a great spread for a variety of breads: muffins, French Toast, scones, and more. How about the next time you make cinnamon rolls, you slather a layer of Gingerbread Butter, with additional Gingerbread Spice, and sugar. Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls rank superior! Aside from breads, you can use it as a topping on baked sweet potatoes. It’s the perfect glaze for steamed carrots. Remember Green Bean Almandine? How fantastic would Gingerbread Green Bean Almandine be?! I guarantee you’ll find many uses for this butter. Let me know, in the comments. 

A YouTube demonstration video is available, by clicking this link.

GINGERBREAD BUTTER

 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup (1stick) butter, room temperature

2 Teaspoons Gingerbread Spice

2 Tablespoons molasses

 

DIRECTIONS:

Place ingredients in a shallow bowl. Use a small rubber spatula, to combine.

 

SPREAD ON:

Toast

French Toast

Muffins

Pancakes

Green Beans

Steamed carrots

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Fruitcake Oatmeal

When it comes to my Gingerbread Spice recipe, I have no shortage of ideas, to use it. Gingerbread paired with candied fruit becomes fruitcake. I may not be a fan of the actual cake, but I am a huge fan of Fruitcake Oatmeal. 

A YouTube demonstration video is available, by clicking this link.

FRUITCAKE OATMEAL 

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tablespoons candied fruit mix (fruitcake topping)

1/4 Cup quick oats

1/2 Cup milk

1/2 Teaspoon Gingerbread Spice

1 Teaspoon molasses

1/4 Teaspoon rum extract

 

DIRECTIONS:

Stir all ingredients in a microwaveable cereal bowl. Microwave on high 1 minute. Stir. Microwave up to 30 more seconds, watching closely; as oatmeal tends to bubble over. Makes 1 serving.

Foxy’s Snowy Ginger Coffee Cake

I wasn’t a fan of coffee cake until I tried, Fox In The Snow’s Bakery (Columbus Ohio)  coffee cake. First thing I noticed, was the plush texture. I also appreciated that it wasn’t overly sweet. An unassuming cake, yet it drew me back for more. The next day, I was back at the bakery, buying more!

This recipe is in no way a dupe, of Fox In The Snow’s Coffee Cake. They inspired me to make my own. My coffee cake has a velvety texture. It features a buttery ginger streusel, and a bold ginger ribbon, in the middle of the cake. The flavors are balanced, and not too sweet. Foxy’s Snowy Ginger Coffee Cake is my favorite cake… for now! 

A YouTube video demonstration is available, by clicking this link.

FOXY’S SNOWY GINGER COFFEE CAKE

 

STREUSEL TOPPING:

1 1/3 Cups (180 grams) flour

1 1/2 Teaspoons Gingerbread Spice

1/3 Cup (75 grams) brown sugar

12 Tablespoons butter, chilled, chopped

1/4 Cup (30 grams) powdered sugar

 

COFFEE CAKE BATTER:

3 Cups (390 grams) flour

1 Teaspoon baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon baking soda

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1 Cup butter, cool

1 1/2 Cups (330 grams) sugar

3 Large eggs, room temperature

2 Large egg whites, room temperature

1 (8 ounce) container full fat sour cream, room temperature

1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract 

 

GINGERBREAD CAKE SWIRL:

2 Tablespoons Gingerbread Spice

2 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

 

TO MAKE STREUSEL TOPPING:

Using the paddle attachment, and a stand mixer;  beat flour, Gingerbread Spice, and brown sugar on low speed. Add butter, and continue on low speed, until flour has formed pea sized crumbs. Cold butter takes a few minutes to meld into the flour. Refrigerate until ready to use. Reserve powdered sugar for dusting top of coffee cake.

 

TO MAKE COFFEE CAKE BATTER:

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and line the bottom of an 9.5” X 3” springform cake pan with parchment paper. Place on a baking tray. Set aside. Using the paddle attachment, and a stand mixer; blend flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, on low speed. Continuing on low speed, add butter to flour mixture; mixing to a sandy texture. In a large mixing bowl, by hand; whisk sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, to combine. Spoon half of the wet mixture into flour mixture. Mix gently. Remove from mixer. Scrape sides and bottom of mixing bowl, with a rubber spatula. Spoon in remaining batter. Fold, gently. Spoon half of the cake batter, into prepared pan. Sprinkle with Gingerbread Cake Swirl mix, leaving a 1” border. Spoon remaining batter, over Gingerbread Cake Swirl mix.  Bake in center rack of oven. At 1 hour baking time, tent coffee cake, so the streusel doesn’t brown too quickly. Remove aluminum tent at 1 hour and 45 minutes baking time. Total bake time is 2 hours and 15 minutes.  To test for doneness:  Cake tester will come out clean. Cake will slightly pull, from the inside of the pan. Top of cake will spring back, when poked with finger. The internal temperature should read between 200 - 209 degrees. Let cake cool, in pan, for 1 hour; for the texture of the cake to set. Dust, heavily, with powdered sugar.

 

GINGERBREAD SPICE

 

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tablespoons cinnamon

2 Tablespoons ginger

1 Teaspoon allspice

1 Teaspoon cardamom

1 Teaspoon cloves

 

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk ingredients. Store in a spice jar, or shaker.