Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 pounds ziti rigate
  • Salt
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 5 tablespoons flour
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • Salt and pepper
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • to taste
  • 1 cup flat-leaf parsley
  • packed
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • loosely packed
  • 1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • grated or pasted
  • 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1/4-1/3 cup EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2-3 large cloves garlic
  • grated or finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup minced herbs such as oregano
  • thyme
  • parsley
  • A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry red or white wine
  • 1 small onion
  • peeled and halved
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 1 32-ounce can Italian San Marzano tomatoes
  • A few leaves of basil
  • torn
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella or mild provolone

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 400F
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta
  • Prepare both sauces first, then salt boiling water and undercook ziti by 1-2 minutes, just shy of al dente
  • Reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking liquid just before draining ziti
  • For the green sauce, melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat
  • Whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then add milk
  • Cook to thicken to coat spoon; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
  • Keep warm, covered over low heat
  • In a food processor, combine herbs with nuts, garlic, half of the Parm a couple of handfuls salt and pepper
  • Add EVOO and pulse into very thick paste
  • Reserve
  • For the red sauce, heat a saucepot over medium-high heat with EVOO
  • Add garlic, herbs and red pepper flakes, and stir 2 minutes
  • Add tomato paste and stir until fragrant; add wine and reduce by half
  • Add onion, bay and canned tomatoes; break them up and season with salt and pepper
  • Stir in basil, reduce heat to simmer and cook sauce 30 minutes partially covered, stirring occasionally
  • Remove onions and bay
  • Toss half of the ziti with red sauce, half a cup of starchy water and the ricotta cheese
  • Transfer to large, deep baking dish
  • For the green ziti, stir pesto into the white sauce, turning it green
  • Toss remaining ziti with half a cup starchy cooking water and the green sauce
  • Carefully arrange the green ziti over the red
  • Top the entire casserole with mozzarella or provolone and the remaining 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • Bake until bubbly and brown, about 15-20 minutes