Now I’m craving baked ziti.
Baked Ziti is not easy to find in Canadian Italian restaurants.
I miss NYC.
I’m just adding links for my own reference
I have a tub of mascarpone at home, from a pumpkin tiramisu plan that didn’t happen
i might make something like this
I found quite a few recipes online that use mascarpone instead of ricotta or in addition to ricotta
……
Tube size and bite size both!
Dinner inspired by your thread LOL. A bit light on the tomato, it hit the spot. Dollops of mascarpone, and diced mozzarella.
I completely forgot to take a photo- but the baked ziti craving with fulfilled last night - with penne instead of ziti, lol. I decided to kind of wing it based on all the comments here, using inspiration from all, and we enjoyed it. I definitely needed a bit more sauce (or concentrated tomato flavor perhaps) but it came out great, pound of pasta with about 3/4 lb of cubed mozz (maybe too much? Is that heresy?), the equivalent of a jar of sauce, and a ton of grated Parm. I threw in some chopped basil and topped it with dolloped ricotta. Some good crunchy bits on top. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!
That baked lemon ziti recipe from Giada looks amazing.
Came across a version of this on the NYT today, and it sounds like a delicious variation that’s halfway between baked ziti and lasagna – Million Dollar Spaghetti.
Pasta mixed with tomato sauce as the bottom layer, then a layer of mixed cheeses, then meat sauce, and finally more cheese.
I’m looking for an excuse to make it now 
You have me thinking about riffing on Million Dollar Spaghetti with mushrooms instead of meat sauce. (I don’t enjoy the texture of meat sauce with ground meat.) Now I’ll be looking for an excuse to make it, too.
What about a braised meat sauce instead with shredded / pulled meat?
But I love mushrooms, so yes to that!
I love both a lasagna and a ziti with mushrooms but I often switch to a bechamel sauce (technically a mornay sauce I guess with the cheese) when going full mushroom.
Good ideas, @Saregama and @Thimes. We’re getting into the baked pasta months of the year, so this is timely.
Grew up on Long Island with lots of family in New Jersey and this just brought me back to my childhood. That and my Aunt’s Sunday Gravy which cooked all day.
adding 2 more for reference .
will try them soon
