Vegetarian Baked Ziti by JeskaD



Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Yields: 4, with leftovers

Description
Tasty vegetarian pasta treat, perfect on a cold night.

Ingredients

 * 1 lb. whole wheat ziti


 * 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese


 * 1-2 tablespoons olive oil


 * 1/2 cup low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded


 * 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated


 * 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Sauce:


 * 2-3 cloves garlic, minced


 * 1 tsp of oregano


 * 1 small onion, chopped


 * 1 small green (or red) bell pepper, chopped


 * 1 large carrot, finely chopped


 * 1/4 tsp salt


 * 1 24-ounce jar vegetarian tomato sauce

Directions

 * Preheat oven to 375


 * Coat 9"x12" pan with cooking spray (bottom and sides)

Cook the Pasta:

1. Cook the ziti according to directions; make sure it's not overdone, you want it a bit al dente. 2. Drain well and return to cooking pot.

Make the Sauce:

While pasta is cooking, make the sauce.

1. Sautee garlic, onion, peppers and carrots in skillet with 1-2 tsp olive oil until tender (onions should be translucent) - about 10 minutes.

2. Add oregano and salt, stir. Add jar of tomato sauce and allow to simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring as needed.

Build It:

1. Spread about 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish

2. Layer 1/2 of the pasta, followed by the ricotta cheese and 1/2 of the mozzerella and parmesan cheeses.

3. Spread 1/3 of the sauce and sprinkle with 1/2 of the mozzarella

4. Add a layer of the remaining pasta and cover with sauce

5. Finally, top with breadcrumbs and remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese

Cook It:

Bake covered for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 15-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling around the edges. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.