Individual baked ziti cups combining tender pasta, creamy cheese, and rich tomato layers, perfect for any meal.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz ziti or rigatoni pasta
→ Sauce
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
05 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Cheese Mixture
08 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (optional)
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Assembly
13 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - Nonstick cooking spray
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
02 - Boil the ziti pasta in salted water until just al dente. Drain and let cool slightly.
03 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - Combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan, egg, fresh basil if using, and salt in a bowl. Stir until smooth.
05 - In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with half of the tomato sauce and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese to coat evenly.
06 - Divide half of the pasta mixture evenly among muffin tin cups. Spoon the ricotta mixture over each, then layer with the remaining pasta. Top with remaining tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before loosening and removing each cup with a knife.
08 - Serve warm, garnished with additional fresh basil if desired.
