The Cheesiest Baked Pasta Ever (Baked Ziti 2 Ways)

Normal Baked Ziti Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375℉ and spray a 9 x 13
2. In a 5 quart dutch oven, add vegetable oil to coat the bottom and heat over medium heat.
3. Add in the meat and sear for 2-3 minutes. Flip and sear on the other side until browned. Mash the meat using a potato masher.
4. Let the meat cook over medium-high heat until the fat renders out and the meat is a bit crispy. Remove from the pot and place to the side.
5. Add olive oil to the pot and add in the diced sweet onion. Season with salt and saute for 3 minutes. Add in finely chopped garlic and saute for 20 seconds.
6. Add the meat back to the pot and mix to combine. Add in crushed tomatoes, stir together, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Season with sugar to cut the tomato acidity.
7. Separately, fill a pot with water and season generously with salt. Once water is boiling add to the pasta. Cook just under al dente.
8. Using a spider, transfer the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine.
9. For the cheese mixture, grate all the cheeses and toss them together.
10. In the 9 x 13 greased baking dish, add in half of the pasta & sauce evenly spreading out. Add full-fat ricotta on top followed by half of the cheese mixture.
11. Add the other half of pasta and sauce, topped with the other half of ricotta, and the other half of the cheese mixture.
12. Place the dish into the 375℉ oven for 35 minutes. Remove and let cool completely
13. Finish with basil leaves on top

Fancy Quattro Formaggi Version:

1. For homemade pasta in a pasta maker (can use store-bought pasta), add all pasta ingredients to the pasta maker until pasta begins to form. Cut into penne-sized pieces. Dust with a little excess all-purpose flour and black on a baking sheet.
2. For the sauce, add diced guanciale to a large saucepan with a little olive oil and turn the heat to medium. Saute, stirring occasionally, until guanciale has rendered almost all its fat and brown. Add shallot garlic, black pepper, and salt to taste. Stir and let sweat, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes or until everything’s softened. Add fennel powder and red pepper flakes, stir to combine, and saute until fragrant. Add in tomato paste, stir to combine, and saute for 1-2 minutes before adding beef broth, mixing to combine, and removing from the pot.
3. In that same pan, add in the ground meat and sear for 3 minutes. Flip and sear on the other side. Using a potato masher, mash the meat until it crumbles. Let it render out the fat, really letting it fry.
4. Add the tomato paste sauce back into the pan along with a can of crushed tomatoes, stir to combine, add in rosemary, and season to taste with salt. Let simmer for 2-5 minutes.
5. Boil the pasta until just al dente (45 seconds if homemade), add into the sauce and mix to combine.
6. For the ricotta, fold basil in with ricotta until fully combined.
7. In a medium bowl, add in grated scamorza, grana padano, and pecorino romano. Toss to combine.
8. In the 9 x 13 greased baking dish, add in half of the pasta & sauce evenly spreading out. Add full-fat ricotta on top followed by half of the cheese mixture.
9. Add the other half of pasta and sauce, topped with the other half of ricotta, and the other half of the cheese mixture.
10. Place the dish into the 375℉ oven for 35 minutes. Remove and let cool completely
11. Finish with chiffonade basil leaves on top.