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Рецепт Gluten Free Slow Cooker “Baked” Ziti
by Anne-Marie Nichols

When I think of Baked Ziti, I always think of my husband’s best friend, Jimmy. He’s from Long Island and like many New Yorkers, he loves Italian food. But Jimmy’s a fussy guy. He only likes certain foods. Burgers. Peel and eat shrimp. Prime rib. Baked Ziti.

Actually, I was shocked that he liked Baked Ziti, because you can’t put can’t put ketchup on it. That’s right, Jimmy puts ketchup on his peel and eat shrimp and prime rib. When everyone else is ordering cocktail sauce and horseradish sauce, he’s asking the waiter for ketchup! Luckily, even Jimmy doesn’t put ketchup on his Baked Ziti!

When his wife, Sheela, makes Baked Ziti, I usually have to just have a few bites if I’m around, because naturally she’s not making it gluten free for just me. (That’s OK. When I’m over at their house, there’s plenty of other food to eat like peel and eat shrimp!) So I thought, why not come up with a gluten free recipe for Baked Ziti that would be so delicious that even Jimmy wouldn’t notice that it’s gluten free?

A little Italian recipe inspiration

I’m not Italian and didn’t grow up having Italian food at home. My mom’s French and didn’t know how to make lasagna and Baked Ziti. Since I grew up in New Jersey, there were plenty of places to go out for wonderful Italian-American food. Ironically, my mom is now married to a Sicilian-American man, and he occasionally makes meatballs and spaghetti for himself.

Since I’m a bit of an Italian food novice, I was glad to see that my local Kroger store had their Taste of Italy program going on. The program is going on October 11 and you’ll notice it at your Kroger or Kroger affiliate store by the signage and the store employees wearing Taste of Italy aprons. (Wonder if I could snag one after the program is over? Adore those aprons!)

There are all kinds of tempting food items in the store, like the two kinds of Italian sausage I decided to use in my Baked Ziti recipe. You can also find espresso makers and slow cookers on sale. This inspired me to cook my Baked Ziti in a slow cooker. I’d rather do that than buy one of those large disposable aluminum pans just to throw it away.

Gathering up my ingredients

I saw that Bertolli pasta sauce was on special. I decided to try Bertolli’s Tuscan-inspired Tomato & Basil sauce. I usually make my own sauce, but the whole point of my Slow Cooker “Baked” Ziti recipe is that it’s convenient with minimal prep time and made with quality ingredients.

Then I went over to the pasta section and got Kroger brand gluten free penne rigate, which is fairly close to ziti. I love Kroger’s gluten free corn and rice pasta since it tastes just as good as regular pasta. This way I don’t have to prepare Gluten Free Slow Cooker “Baked” Ziti for me and a regular version for the rest of my family.

Finally, Kroger had store brands of the rest of the ingredients – grated Italian cheese blend, egg whites, and ricotta. I’m so thankful when I can one-stop shop. Bertolli and Kroger make my life so less complicated.

Tips on making Gluten Free Slow Cooker “Baked” Ziti

This is a large recipe, so you’ll need at least a six quart slow cooker to make it in.

If you goof up the layers, don’t worry. You can stir up the whole thing and top it off with 1/2 to 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Can you tell I did just this? It turned out fantastic! It’s more like a casserole than baked ziti, but it still tasted heavenly.

If you like spicy, go ahead and use only spicy Italian sausage. If you don’t like spicy, just use mild Italian sausage.

If you want to sneak some vegetables into one of the layers, like some diced zucchini or summer squash, I won’t tell the kids. I swear!

This works just as well with regular or whole wheat pasta if you don't eat a gluten free diet.

If you’re cooking this for someone who has celiacs or a gluten sensitivity, make sure to read the labels of all the ingredients – the sausage, the cheeses, etc. – for any hidden sources of flour or gluten. Don’t assume that because there wasn’t any last time you bought Italian sausage, there won’t this time. Always check the labels!

Don’t overcook or the edges will get scorched.

The verdict on Gluten Free Slow Cooker “Baked” Ziti

My family were mad for this Baked Ziti recipe! My husband went back for thirds. My son ate leftovers for breakfast and took some to school for lunch the next day. My kids fought over the last plate. Even the dog gave Gluten Free Slow Cooker “Baked” Ziti two paws up! Thanks to Bertolli and Kroger, I’ll be making this slow cooker recipe at least once a month.

Gluten Free Slow Cooker “Baked” Ziti

Ingredients

Cooking spray

Directions

Coat a six quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Set aside.

Remove sausage from its casings. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, onion, and garlic 6 to 8 minutes, or until browned. Break up sausage with the back of your spoon as it cooks. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg whites, basil, oregano, and 1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese. Mix until thoroughly combined.

In the slow cooker, layer 1 jar of Bertolli sauce. Then add half the sausage mixture, 1/2 cup Italian blend cheese, one package of the gluten free penne rigate pasta, and half the ricotta mixture. Evenly distribute each layer.

Repeat. Then top with remaining jar of sauce. Then evenly sprinkle 1 cup of Italian blend cheese over top.

Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or until pasta is tender.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 5 Hours

Total Time: 5 Hours 20 Minutes

Servings: 6-8 with leftovers

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bertolli®. The opinions and text are all mine.