Baked Ziti in White Sauce
must... cook...
Beurre Blanc (White sauce)
1/3 cup champagne vinegar
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives
In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine vinegar, wine, shallots, lemon, and bay leaves to make an infusion. Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until the mixture is reduced to a wet paste, about 2 tablespoons. Add the cream and continue to simmer until reduced again to about 2 tablespoons. Cream is added to make the sauce more stable and less likely to separate.
Reduce the heat to low and remove the bay leaves. Whisk in the chunks of butter in small batches. The butter should melt without the sauce getting too hot, producing a creamy emulsified sauce. Do not let the sauce go over 130 degrees F, where it will separate. If the sauce starts to break, remove from heat, add 2 ice cubes and whisk until it cools down and comes back together. Season with salt and pepper, fold in the chives, and serve immediately. Keep covered in a warm place for a few hours, if needed.
Baked Ziti.
1 pound dried ziti pasta
Kosher salt
3 1/2 cups QUICK MARINARA SAUCE, recipe follows
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano
1 pound fresh mozzarella, half cut into 1/2-inch cubes and half thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of crushed red pepper or to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously, and boil the pasta until al dente, tender but still slightly firm. Drain.
In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the marinara sauce, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the pecorino, and the cubed mozzarella pieces. Season with the black pepper and red pepper to taste, and mix until well combined. Transfer the pasta to an oiled 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Cover the top of the pasta with the sliced mozzarella, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake until lightly browned and hot, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Substitute white sauce for marinara or other times as needed.
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