Skillet Baked Ziti

 Originally posted on https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/skillet-baked-ziti

Ingredients

• 6 garlic cloves minced
• 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• 1 (28 ounce can) crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups water
• 12 ounces ziti pasta 3¾ cups
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup ) whole-milk ricotta
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions

• Preheat oven to 475°F
• Combine 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet and saute over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute
• Add crushed tomatoes, water, ziti and 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain vigorous simmer, until ziti is almost tender, 12-15 minutes
• While the pasta is cooking, combine ricotta, remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
• Stir in cream, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and basil into the pasta and season with salt and pepper to taste
• At this point if your skillet is not ovensafe, transfer the pasta mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole dish before sprinkling with the ricotta and cheese and baking. If you're really against turning on the oven you could cover the skillet with a lid and melt the cheese that way but it won't get browned and toasty.
• Add dollops of the ricotta mixture with a spoon on top of the pasta and sprinkle mozzarella evenly over ziti
• Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese has melted and browned, about 5-10 minutes. Let cool slightly and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of basil. Serve.