Garden Meatless Ziti

This dish is late-summer comfort food straight from the Garden Realm. Made with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh herbs, real mozzarella, and a whole head of garlic, it’s the kind of meal that proves you don’t need fancy ingredients to cook like a queen. Use what you have, grow what you can, and make it unforgettable.

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 8–10 garden tomatoes (mostly San Marzano), parboiled, skinned, cleaned
• 1 whole head of garlic, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2–3 garden chili peppers, sliced
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Herbs:

• Fresh basil (for topping)
• Fresh parsley
• Fresh oregano

Pasta & Cheese:

• 1 pound ziti, cooked al dente
• Fresh mozzarella, sliced (the wet, milky kind)
• Ricotta cheese
• A splash of pasta water
• Fresh grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. Prepare the tomatoes:
   Parboil the tomatoes, remove the skins, and clean out the seeds and inner bits. This keeps the sauce bright and smooth.
2. Build the base:
   In a pot, heat extra virgin olive oil. Add the sliced onion, garlic, and chili peppers. Cook until soft and fragrant, but not browned.
3. Add the tomatoes:
   Stir in the cleaned tomatoes. Cook for exactly 20 minutes — no more, no less. This keeps the sauce fresh, bright, and full of garden flavor.
4. Prepare the herbs:
   Wash and chop parsley and oregano. Keep the basil whole for topping later.
5. Mix the ricotta:
   Combine ricotta with a splash of pasta water and parsley. No egg needed tonight — the fresh mozzarella and ricotta are already perfectly wet.
6. Cook the pasta:
   Boil ziti until al dente.
7. Layer the dish:
   In an iron-clad baking dish, layer:

• Sauce
• Ziti
• Ricotta mixture
• Fresh mozzarella slices
  Repeat until the dish is full. Iron-clad dishes hold heat like magic, keeping the mozzarella melting long after it leaves the oven.

1. Bake:
   Bake until bubbling and the mozzarella is melted and stretchy.
2. Finish:
   Top with fresh basil and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan.

Garden Notes

• San Marzano tomatoes make the brightest, richest sauce.
• Fresh herbs elevate simple ingredients into something magical.
• Iron-clad dishes keep everything hot and help melt stubborn mozzarella.

Realm Notes
This dish is a favorite in the Garden Realm — a humble recipe elevated by fresh ingredients, patience, and a queen’s touch.

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