Servings: 8 to 12
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound ziti
- Salt
- Sunday gravy made with meatballs (see recipe below)
- 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 cup ricotta
- 8 ounces mozzarella, cut into small dice
DIRECTIONS Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the ziti and salt to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the ziti is al dente, tender yet firm to the bite.
Meanwhile, remove the meats, including the meatballs, from the Sunday gravy. Set the pork, veal and sausage aside for the second course or for another meal.
Drain the ziti and put it in a large bowl. Toss it with about 3 cups of the gravy and half the grated cheese. Stir in the meatballs.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Spoon half the ziti into a shallow 3 1/2 quart baking dish. Spread the ricotta on top and sprinkle with the mozzarella and half the remaining grated cheese. Pour on 1 cup of the sauce. Top with the remaining ziti and another cup sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover the dish with foil. (The ziti can be refrigerated for several hours or overnight, at this point. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking.)
Bake the ziti for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 to 30 minutes longer, or until the center is hot and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
INGREDIENTS
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound meaty pork neck bones or spareribs
- 1 pound veal stew meat or 2 veal shoulder chops
- 1 pound Italian-style plain or fennel pork sausages
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- Three 28- to 35-ounce cans Italian peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 6 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
For the meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef or a combination of beef and pork
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs, preferably homemade
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon of very finely minced garlic
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
DIRECTIONS To make the sauceHeat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Pat the pork dry and put the pieces in the pot. Cook, turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until nicely browns on all sides. Transfer the pork to a plate. Brown the veal in the same way and add it to the plate.
Place the sausages in the pot and brown on all sides. Set the sausages aside with the pork.
Drain off most of the fat from the pot. Add the garlic and cook for about two minutes or until golden. Remove and discard the garlic. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
With a food mill, puree the tomatoes, with their juice, into the pot. Or for a chunkier sauce, just chop up the tomatoes and add them. Add the water and salt and pepper to taste. Add the pork, veal, sausages and basil, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more water.
To make the meatballsCombine all the ingredients except the oil in a large bowl. Mix together thoroughly. Rinse your hands with cool water and lightly shape the mixture into 2-inch balls. (Note: If you are making meatballs for lasagne or baked ziti, shape the meat into tiny balls the size of a small grape.)
Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet. Add the meatballs and brown them well on all sides. (They will finish cooking later.) Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
After two hours, add the meatballs and cook for 30 minutes or until the sauce is thick and the meats very tender.