Ultimate Ziti Oreganato Napolitano: A Delicious Baked Pasta With Potato And Onion Perfection

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#bakedpastadish #bakedzitiandpotatoes #vegetariandish #simpleandeasymeal

#budgetfriendly #pastaoreganata #zitioreganata #bakedziti

Ultimate Ziti Oreganato Napolitano: A Delicious Baked Pasta With Potato And Onion Perfection

Ultimate Ziti Oreganato Napolitano: A Delicious Baked Pasta With Potato And Onion Perfection

This is an iconic Neapolitan dish in the true “cucina povera” (poor man’s food) tradition, that was invented out of the most extreme kind of frugality.

Typically made with leftover odds and ends of dried pasta, tomato sauce and the ultimate poor man’s vegetable, the potato 🥔. Then by adding a few more simple ingredients, the onions, grated cheese, mozzarella, basil leaves and dried oregano, a delicious healthy meal was invented out of the most humblest of ingredients.

If you like baked potatoes and baked pasta, give this dish a try. Simple and easy by layering the onions, potatoes and uncooked pasta and the other ingredients, covering each layer with the passata or crushed tomatoes and baked in the oven.

INGREDIENTS: Serves 10-12

2 bottles (660 ml each/23 ozs. each) strained tomatoes (passata)

1000 ml (32 ozs.) water

715 g (25 ozs.) grated mozzarella

150g (2 cups) grated parmigiano

500g (17 ozs.) Ziti (or pasta of your choice… penne, rigatoni)

2 small onions 🧅 (1/4” sliced round)

8-10 medium potatoes 🥔 (1/4” sliced round)

10-12 basil leaves 🍃

2-3 g (1/3 cup) dried oregano

drizzle olive oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven 400F (200C)

1) In a large bowl, pour the passata, water, drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of oregano, salt and black pepper. Stir well and set aside.

2) Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of the baking dish. Add a few ladles of prepared passata mixture. Layer some onions, potatoes and basil leaves 🍃. Sprinkle some grated parmigiano, mozzarella, and black pepper. Add half of the uncooked pasta (ziti). Top with half of the passata mixture. Sprinkle a bit of dried oregano.

3) Repeat step # 2. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Place in a preheated 400F (200C) oven and bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Check halfway through the baking should you need to add a bit more water.

4) Insert a fork into the potatoes 🥔 and the ziti to make sure they are properly cooked.

For a crispy top, remove the foil about 15 minutes before the end of the baking. and additional 5 mins on broil.

5) Let stand 10-15 minutes before plating.

Our family loves this meal, and we think you will too !