Ziti al Forno "Senza Bollitura"
Ziti al Forno "Senza Bollitura"·(zee-tee ahl for-no sen-tsa bol-lee-too-rah)
The Sunday Simmer: Sicilian-American Meatball Rituals
The Southern Italian matriarchs didn't skip boiling the pasta because they were lazy; they did it because they were smart. The a crudo method, or sciuè sciuè (quick and simple), means dumping dry ziti straight into a heavily thinned sauce. As the pasta hydrates in the oven, it releases its starch directly into the liquid, binding it all together into a velvety, cohesive masterpiece that a pot of pre-boiled noodles could never achieve. Tucking raw, tiny meatballs—polpettine—into the mix saves a skillet and flavors the whole damn thing from the inside out. It's an old-world weeknight trick that tastes exactly like a Sunday afternoon in Sicily.
Before you start
Form the polpettine.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup of grated Pecorino, egg, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Gently mix with your hands just until combined, then form into tiny meatballs about the size of a cherry tomato.
Thin out the marinara.
In a large bowl, whisk together the jarred marinara sauce and the cold water until the mixture looks alarmingly thin.
Ingredients
- 80/20 ground beef chuck1/2 lb
- ground pork1/2 lb
- Italian seasoned breadcrumbs1/2 cup
- Pecorino Romano1/3 cup
- egg1 large
- garlic1 med clove
- fresh parsley1 tbsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- ziti1 lb
- marinara sauce28 oz
- water2 cup
- whole milk ricotta cheese1 cup
- sharp provolone8 oz
- whole milk low-moisture mozzarella8 oz
- Pecorino Romano1/2 cup
- fresh basil leaves1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven and prepare the baking dish.
Set the oven to 400°F and lightly oil a 9x13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish.
- 02
Build the foundation of the casserole.
Pour about one cup of the thinned sauce into the bottom of the dish, then scatter the completely dry, uncooked ziti evenly over the sauce.
- 03
Nestle the meatballs and drown the pasta.
Tuck the raw meatballs evenly among the dry noodles, then pour the remaining thinned tomato sauce over the top to ensure every single noodle is completely submerged.
- 04
Layer the cheeses.
Scatter the cubed provolone and dollop small spoonfuls of ricotta evenly across the dish, then sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half of the remaining grated Pecorino.
- 05
Seal the dish and bake.
Cover the baking dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil, crimping the edges completely shut to trap the steam, and bake on the center rack for 40 to 45 minutes.
- 06
Uncover for the Maillard finish.
Carefully remove the foil, top with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino, and return to the oven uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is deeply melted, bubbling, and golden brown on the edges.
- 07
Rest the casserole before serving.
Remove from the oven and let it sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes to allow the starches to set and the liquid to be fully absorbed, then garnish with the torn fresh basil.
Notes
The cubed cheese is a deliberate upgrade.
Using cubed provolone instead of pre-shredded cheese ensures it melts into luxurious, distinct pockets of stretch rather than disappearing entirely into the hot sauce.
Trust the thin sauce.
The sauce must be heavily diluted with water to hydrate the raw pasta properly; the pasta will release its starches as it cooks, binding everything into a perfectly thick, cohesive dish.