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Crowd-Pleaser

Baked Ziti

The crowd-pleaser. Ricotta, mozzarella, and a meaty red sauce — assembled at home in twenty minutes and heated at camp while the fire gets going. Nobody has ever complained about baked ziti.

FEEDS 4Half-size
foil pan
  • 8 oz ziti or penne
  • 1/2 lb ground beef (or half beef / half Italian sausage)
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 12 oz marinara sauce (half a 24-oz jar)
  • 7 oz crushed tomatoes (half a 14-oz can)
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 8 oz ricotta
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • 8 oz shredded mozzarella
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 half-size foil pan with lid
FEEDS 8Full-size
deep pan
  • 1 lb ziti or penne
  • 1 lb ground beef (or half beef / half Italian sausage)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
  • 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 15 oz ricotta
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 16 oz shredded mozzarella
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 full-size deep foil pan with lid
🏠

At home — make it

Tuesday
  1. Boil the pasta 2–3 minutes SHORT of the box time — it finishes at camp. Drain, don't rinse.
  2. Brown the beef with the onion. Drain. Garlic in for 1 minute. Add marinara, crushed tomatoes, and seasonings. Simmer 10 minutes.
  3. Mix ricotta, egg, and parmesan in a bowl.
  4. Toss the pasta with most of the sauce — hold back about a cup for the top.
  5. Layer in the foil pan: half the saucy pasta → all the ricotta mixture → half the mozzarella → rest of the pasta → reserved sauce → rest of the mozzarella.
  6. Cool completely. Lid, plastic wrap, foil. Sharpie the lid: ZITI — 350° / 35 MIN COVERED + date. Freeze.
🏕

At camp — heat it

Saturday
  1. Friday: freezer to fridge/cooler, thaw overnight.
  2. Saturday: camp oven or covered grill at about 350°, foil on.
  3. FEEDS 4: 30–35 minutes covered. FEEDS 8: 40–45 minutes covered.
  4. Foil off for the last 5–10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
  5. Rest 10 minutes before serving — that's what makes it cut clean instead of sliding.

Notes

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