Delicious!

Yummy! My first "harvest" this year has started. My sugar snap peas have started to take off! They are blooming and growing peas fast. I only planted a few, enough to snack on while outside. I love them fresh picked! 

I am really writing to share the most delicious recipe with you. It is long and looks complicated, but it isn't. Trust me. It was so yummy! It is for sure going into my rotation, especially for having guests over or taking someone a meal. 

It was in Cooks Illustrated Magazine. They are the people that do America's Test Kitchen on PBS. They try stuff out, figure out the best way to make it and share it with you! Now I am passing it on. Bear with me.... lots of typing ahead.... you can't get this on their website without buying a subscription, so eat up people!

Baked Ziti

serves 8-10(I say 8 adults with a side dish, or 6 with big helpings or seconds)

Note* don't use pre-shredded cheese, it doesn't melt well

1 lb whole milk or 1 %cottage cheese( I picked up 4% off the shelf. It worked great)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 oz grated parmesan (about 1 1/2 cups)

table salt

1 lb ziti or other tubular short pasta( I used penne)

2 tblsp olive oil

5 med garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1  28 oz can tomato sauce

1  14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves

1 tsp sugar

ground black pepper

3/4 tsp cornstarch

1 cup heavy cream

8 oz low moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Method:

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees with oven rack in middle position. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup parmesan cheese together. Set aside. Boil water and cook pasta. Do not over cook. 7 minutes is good. Drain, set aside and leave in colander. Do not wash the pot!

2) Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in 12 inch skillet(or whatever you have), until it becomes fragrant, but not brown(mine browned and tasted fine). Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and oregano and simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened. Off heat stir in 1/2 cup basil and sugar, then season with salt and pepper.

3) Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in a small bowl. Transfer mixture to the empty pot that you cooked the pasta in. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened. 3-4 minutes, stirring the whole time! Remove pot from heat and add the cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup of the tomato sauce, 3/4 cup mozzarella . Stir to combine. Add pasta to coat thoroughly.

4) Transfer pasta to 13x9 baking dish(or whatever you have that will hold all of that pasta!) and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan over the top. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

5) Remove foil and continue cooking for another 30 minutes until it is bubbling and brown. Cool for 20 minutes(I let mine sit for 40 and it was just right to eat). Sprinkle with remaining basil and serve!

I think that after you have this you won't go to the trouble of making lasagna again! So good! I can't wait to have leftovers. The flavors are bright and full.

Next time I make it I might try freezing half and serving half. It is too much to make just for the two of us. I might also try jazzing it up. I think that sausage, grated zucchini or mushrooms would be fantastic. Try it with a straight run the first time. You won't be disappointed! Let me know how yours turns out.

P.s.

Update on Potato Bread: it freezes beautifully! Make some!