Ziti is a popular, medium-sized, tube-shaped pasta that hails from Southern Italy, specifically regions like Campania and Sicily. The name "ziti" is derived from the Italian word zita, which means "bride". Historically, this shape earned its label because it was the traditional pasta served at wedding banquets and holiday celebrations.

Originally, ziti was manufactured as long, hollow strands—about 25 centimeters in length—that home cooks would ceremonially break by hand into two-inch pieces before boiling. Today, while you can still find the long version, it is most commonly sold pre-cut by manufacturers.

Visually, ziti is often confused with penne and rigatoni, but it has distinct structural differences. Unlike penne, which is cut diagonally to mimic a quill, ziti is cut straight across. It is also characterized by a mostly smooth (lisce) exterior, rather than the heavy ridges found on rigatoni. These thin-walled, smooth tubes create a delicate texture when cooked, making ziti uniquely suited for specific culinary applications.

There are some specific uses for ziti:

Baked Pasta Casseroles (Pasta al Forno): The ultimate home for ziti is inside a hot oven. Because of its smooth texture and relatively thin walls, ziti absorbs moisture beautifully and cooks evenly during the baking process. This creates a uniform texture without a stark, rigid al dente bite. It is famously layered with marinara, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese to make the classic Italian-American comfort food, Baked Ziti.

Thick, Meat-Based Sauces: The hollow center of the tube acts like a small straw, trapping chunks of ground beef, Italian sausage, or rich Neapolitan ragù inside each bite.

Silky Cream and Cheese Sauces: Ziti works remarkably well with smooth Alfredo or cheese-based sauces. The sauce coats the smooth exterior and floods the hollow centers, ensuring maximum flavor distribution.

Light, Fresh Coatings: In southern Italy, it is also common to toss ziti with lighter, fresh sauces like olive oil, garlic, and fresh herbs, freshly made pesto, or a simple crushed tomato sauce.

Whether baked into a bubbly casserole or tossed on the stovetop, ziti is a tried-and-true, versatile pantry staple that keeps Italian taste traditions alive. And speaking of casseroles, here’s a baked ziti from Martha Stewart. Everything bakes in the same skillet that’s used to make the quick sausage ragu, which translates to much less time and effort (and one fewer dish to clean). Ziti here we come!

Speedy Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

1 pound sweet or spicey Italian sausages removed from casings
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cups marinara sauce
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 ounces ziti
1 cup chopped fresh sweet basil
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until browned in places and cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Stir in marinara sauce and 1 cup water. Season with salt and pepper; simmer 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook 12 ounces ziti or rigatoni in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain. Add pasta, reserved pasta water, basil, and 3/4 cup chopped mozzarella to skillet; toss to combine. Season to taste.

In a bowl, whisk together ricotta and heavy cream; season. Spoon mixture evenly over top of pasta. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup chopped mozzarella and Parmigiano. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until ziti is browned and bubbly and edges begin to crisp, about 20 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.