Baked Beef Ziti

Baked Beef Ziti

POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 50 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients:

• 12 oz uncooked ziti
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
• 1/3 pound raw lean ground beef
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and return pan to heat.
4. Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Spoon a small amount of tomato mixture into the bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover the surface). Top with half of the cooked ziti and then layer with half of the remaining tomato sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Layer remaining ziti on top and top with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Yields about 1 cup per serving.