Two-color Ziti Fake-bake

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3/4 lb ziti rigate whole wheat ziti or 3/4 lb any other short-cut pasta
• 3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 bunch cavolo nero, stemmed and very thinly sliced (also called tuscan kale, dinosaur kale or lacinato kale)
• nutmeg, to taste
• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated onion
• 1 (28 ounce) can italian tomatoes in puree
• fresh basil, torn, to taste
• parmigiano-reggiano cheese, to taste
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Recipe

• 1 bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it.
• 2 add the pasta and cook until al dente.
• 3 drain, reserving about 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.
• 4 while the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat about 1½ tablespoons evoo, 1 1/2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat.
• 5 stir in 2 cloves garlic for 1 minute.
• 6 add the kale to wilt to crisp-tender, a couple of minutes.
• 7 season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg.
• 8 transfer to a plate and reserve the skillet.
• 9 preheat the broiler and position a rack in the upper third of the oven.
• 10 place the ricotta cheese in the bottom of a casserole.
• 11 place the reserved skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons evoo, 2 turns of the pan.
• 12 stir in the remaining 2 cloves garlic for 1 minute, then add the onion and stir for 2 minutes.
• 13 using a blender or food processor, puree the tomatoes. add them to the garlic and onion and season with salt and pepper.
• 14 stir in the basil to wilt.
• 15 lower the heat to a simmer.
• 16 add the pasta, reserved cooking water and the kale to the ricotta in the casserole; season with salt and pepper.
• 17 top with two-thirds of the tomato sauce, a thin layer of parmigiano-reggiano and the mozzarella.
• 18 broil for a few minutes to brown the cheeses.
• 19 pass the remaining sauce and parmigiano-reggiano at the table for topping.