It's the mix of sausage, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and ricotta in this ziti that make it a reader favorite.
On a blustery eveing, there are few dishes as comforting as a hearty, hot pasta. This oozing concoction of sausage, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, ricotta and ziti is a reader favorite. To balance out the rich pasta, this menu starts off with a bright, tangy arugula-fennel salad kissed with orange and lemon, and ends with spicy but light red-wine-poached pears.
Menu Timeline
Up to 1 day or at least 3 hours ahead:
- Poach the pears and let them cool in their poaching liquid.
90 minutes before dinner:
- Heat the oven to 425°F.
- Toast the pistachios
- Toast and chop fennel seeds.
- Make the salad dressing.
- Reduce the pear poaching liquid to a syrup.
One hour before dinner:
- Cook the ziti and its sauce; assemble it and pour into its baking dish.
- Sprinkle the ziti with pecorino and put it in to bake.
30 minutes before dinner:
- Slice the fennel and assemble the salad.
- Toss the salad with dressing just before sitting down to dinner.
Shopping List
Fresh Produce
- 5 oz. arugula (about 5 cups)
- 1 small fennel bulb
- 1 large onion
- 1 shallot
- 1 bulb garlic
- 1 small bunch fresh marjoram or oregano
- 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 orange
- 2 ripe but slightly firm pears
- 1 lemon
Meat, Eggs & Dairy
- 3/4 lb. sweet Italian pork sausage
- 1/2 lb. mozzarella, preferably fresh
- 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
- Mild pecorino cheese (enough for 1 cup grated)
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream
Other Groceries
- 1 bottle dry red wine, such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon
- 35-oz. can whole plum tomatoes
- 1 lb. dried ziti
- 1/4 cup shelled hazelnuts
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
- 1-1/2 Tbs. hazelnut oil
- 2 whole star anise
Pantry Staples:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for the baking dish
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
- Pinch nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
- Kosher salt
- Black peppercorns
