One of the breakout hits from Reddit during this otherwise crazy-ass year has been a thread of ancient family recipes. Trending on the list of the best-loved is a magically simple baked pasta dish called Great-Grandma’s Famous Baked Ziti. We gave it a try and found it worthy of adding to our glamping menu. It’s inexpensive, fast, tastes deceptively authentic, and would probably feed most of Loop 100 at Fort Wilderness.
Yep, this one is made for sharing. And you can’t have a perfect life without friends.
Seriously. It made so much that we were able to drop off leftovers to my mother-in-law, to my daughter’s large family, and still have enough remaining for another comfort meal.
love is an open door
Because the original recipe is somewhat open to interpretation (which type of Parmesan to use?), it has the potential of being a satisfying but forgettable one-night stand. While sticking true to the recipe as written, I found that a few details made it worthy of America’s current infatuation with it.
do not, do not overcook the pasta
It should be a little less than al dente and drained well before adding it to the sauce mixture. Otherwise, it will make the whole thing watery and sad. It will cook more during the baking period.
make a day or so ahead of time
This is an easy one to make ahead (or freeze) and reheat. It’s going on my list of things to make before we even leave home. Spend your day at the campsite fishing or nappin’ instead of cooking.
don’t settle for anything but parmesan Reggiano
This should be non-negotiable in any Italian dish. Just say no to that sprinkle plastic cheese with the green label. Real Parmesan Reggiano is one of the world’s finest ingredients, and it deserves to go camping. Sometimes, I eat it all by itself. You should too.
final verdict
It’s easy-peezy and feeds a whole bunch of hungry campers. Perfect for make-ahead. I found it filling enough for our meat-lovers but the amount of ground beef allowed the cheeses to take a starring role. Overall, it’s not our number one favorite Italian meal of all time – that would be my stuffed pasta shells (recipe coming next month). But it’s soooo much easier, feeds more, and will be a keeper. 7.5/10.
dutch oven version for primitive camping
I’ve included the standard recipe, but this can be done over a fire – provided you’ve made the pasta ahead of time. Simply brown the beef with the Dutch oven sitting on bottom heat, and add the other ingredients as directed in the recipe. After adding the top layer of cheese, cover and bake for about 30 minutes with coals both on top and under.
My Great-Grandma's Famous Baked Ziti (Reddit)
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb Ziti pasta can use Penne
- 2 jars Ragu Parmesan Romano (1 pound, 10 oz. each) from original recipe (can use another favorite)
- 1 egg
- 15 oz Ricotta cheese
- Italian seasoning to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz shredded Mozarella cheese
- chopped Italian parsley (I added this to original recipe)
Instructions
- Boil noodles in well-salted water until nearly al dente. Do not overcook.
- Brown ground beef with Italian seasoning and drain.
- Add Ricotta and Parmesan cheeses to the beef, along with one jar of the sauce, the egg, and salt and pepper.
- Gently stir in the cooked, drained noodles.
- Spread in large casserole dish.
- Cover with second jar of sauce.
- Sprinkle top with the Mozarella cheese.
- Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. (We like it more well-done)
- Top with chopped parsley and cook about 5 minutes more.
- Let stand a few minutes before serving. I serve with a traditional green side salad.
