Quick and Easy Skillet Baked Ziti with Vodka-Cream Sauce and Tuscan Herb Olive Oil

Skillet Baked Ziti with Vodka Cream Sauce Feature

Couldnā€™t we all use a timesaving recipe that doesnā€™t sacrifice on flavor? Typically baked ziti involves one pot to boil the pasta, one pot to make the sauce and finally a third pan to combine the two and bake it in the oven. What if we said we could do all of it in just one skillet ā€“ and in about 30 minutes?Ā  We stumbled upon this breakthrough from Cooks Illustrated in their ā€œBest 30-Minute Recipesā€ cookbook. They found that cooking the raw pasta in the same skillet as the sauce not only saved time but also allowed the pasta to absorb maximum flavor. The vodka also gives the tomato flavor an extra boost. We sautĆ©ed the aromatics in our Tuscan Herb Olive Oil, added the uncooked pasta and other sauce ingredients on the stovetop for about 17 minutes. Then finish it in the oven for 10 minutes ā€“ which is just enough time to make a salad and slice some crusty bread. Doesnā€™t this sound like an easy, weekday dinner? If you give it a try leave us a comment to let us know what you think.

INGREDIENTS

Skillet Baked Ziti Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Olive This! Tuscan Herb Olive Oil
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • Ā¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 2Ā½ cups of water
  • Ā½ cup of vodka
  • 12 ounces of ziti, about 3Ā¾ cups
  • Ā½ cup of half-and-half
  • Ā½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup of minced fresh basil leaves
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.Add EVOO Pepper Flakes Garlic and Salt to Skillet

Add the minced garlic, Ā¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, Ā½ teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of Tuscan Herb Olive Oil to a 12-inch oven-safe non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. SautĆ© for about 1 minute.

Add Crushed Tomatoes to Ziti Pasta

Add the raw pasta, crushed tomatoes, 2Ā½ cups of water, Ā½ cup of vodka, and Ā½ teaspoon of salt. Stir well to combine.

Simmer Ziti In the Sauce for Baked Ziti

Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook at a vigorous simmer until ziti is tender, about 15-18 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add Cheese, Basil and Cream to Skillet Baked Ziti

Once the pasta is tender, remove from heat. Add the Ā½ cup of Parmesan cheese, Ā¼ cup of chopped basil, Ā½ cup of half-and-half and salt and pepper to taste.

Skillet Baked Ziti Before Oven

Sprinkle the Ā½ cup of grated mozzarella over the ziti in an even layer. Transfer the skillet into the preheated oven and bake until the cheese melts and just starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Use this time to make a salad and/or prepare some crusty bread. Remember the skillet handle will be very hot. We often forget in the OT kitchen so one safeguard we use as a reminder is to put the oven mitt around the handle of the oven as soon as the food goes in. This way we remember to use it when removing the scalding skillet.

Skillet Baked Ziti After the Oven

Once done, remove skillet from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve the baked ziti in vodka sauce with crusty bread and a garden fresh salad. Enjoy!

MAKES 4-5 SERVINGS

Have a comment?Ā  Weā€™d love to hear from you.Ā  Have you tried this dish?Ā  Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy?Ā  Leave us a comment below.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay updated with the latest news from Olive This! - Sign up for our newsletter here.

Copyright 2021 - Olive This! - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.
Site by Horde Marketing, LLC