Baked Ziti a la Jean-Pierre Recipe
Well, friends, you’ve been yelling—politely—about this one for years. “Chef Jean-Pierre, where is your baked ziti recipe?” I thought, “Why do I need to make baked ziti? There are 1,743 other versions online!” But you wanted my take, so buckle up: this is not your Nonna’s ziti—this is baked ziti on vacation in flavor town. It's beef ragù and mac and cheese, and when they get together? Boom! Love at first bite.This is the baked ziti that starts fights over second helpings. You made ragù, you made Mornay, you made magic. Don’t overthink it. Have fun, use lots of cheese, and enjoy every bite.Bon appétit!
Recipe Video
Recipe Ingredients
Beef Ragu (Meat Sauce)
- 1 large Onion diced
- 2 Carrots diced small - optional
- 1.5 pounds ground chuck 85/15 or 80/20
- 1.5 tablespoons Garlic chopped - or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Thyme
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 2 cups good Red Wine
- 28 ounces chopped tomatoes 1 can
- 2 cups Chicken or Beef Stock start with 1 cup, add more as needed
- 1/2 cup all-purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Harissa optional, for a kick
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garlic Olive Oil for sautéing
For the Mornay Sauce (Cheese Sauce)
- 3 ounces unsalted Butter
- 3 ounces all-purpose Flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 ounces Brie rind removed, chopped
- 4 ounces Gruyere Cheese grated
- 4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 Egg Yolks
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Additional Ingredients
- 12 ounces Zita Pasta
- Butter for greasing the baking dish
- Fresh Breadcrumbs seasoned with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley
- Extra grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for topping
Recipe Instructions
Sauté the Beef
- In a large frying pan, heat a little olive oil and when hot, add ground beef. Let it brown without stirring too much—you want the Maillard reaction! (This may take a few minutes) Sprinkle in flour while stirring. Cook for a few minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
Making the Beef Ragu (Meat Sauce)
- In a large pot to cook the sauce, heat olive oil and sauté onion until lightly caramelized. Stir in carrots, garlic, thyme, and tomato paste. Sauté until garlic is fragrant.
- Deglaze with wine and reduce by half. Add chopped tomatoes, stock, and the sauteed beef. Add Worcestershire, harissa, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Let it simmer on low for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
Making the Mornay Sauce (Cheese Sauce)
- In a saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour. Cook until it smells like cookie dough. Slowly whisk in milk. Bring to a simmer until thickened. Add
- Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in Gruyere, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Brie. Mix until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks quickly.
- Adjust thickness with a bit more milk if needed.
Add Assembly and Baking
- Cook the Ziti Pasta al dente, then toss with olive oil
- Grease your baking dish with butter. Spread a generous layer of beef ragù on the bottom.
- In a bowl, mix cooked ziti with Mornay sauce
- Pour the now cheesy pasta over the ragu.
- Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and extra Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45–60 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
- Let rest 10–15 minutes before serving
- Enjoy!
Pro-Tips
Pro-Tip: How to Achieve the Ultimate Melted Cheese
Here’s a secret from my kitchen to yours: Always use freshly grated Parmesan cheese and Gruyere cheese instead of the pre-shredded stuff. Grate it yourself, you'll be glad you did. The pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that stop it from melting properly. You want that gooey cheese pull, right? Grate your own — it makes all the difference. And please, season as you go! Taste your pasta sauce, taste your cheese mixture, taste everything. Cooking is an interactive sport, my friends.Bonus Pro-Tip: Kick It Up A Notch!
If you want to kick things up a notch, add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to your meat sauce for a little heat. I also love adding a spoonful of harissa — like I did in the video — to give it a gentle, smoky spice. Your guests will ask, “What’s that amazing flavor?” And you can smile and say, "It’s my secret." Also, when you make baked ziti ahead of time, assemble everything and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. Pop it in the oven when you’re ready to eat. It actually tastes even better the next day!Equipment - You can find the items below at our online store!
Nutrition
Calories: 1127.39kcalCarbohydrates: 82.89gProtein: 54.39gFat: 57.37gSaturated Fat: 29.06gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.54gMonounsaturated Fat: 19.46gTrans Fat: 1.86gCholesterol: 242.97mgSodium: 1131.01mgPotassium: 1396.74mgFiber: 5.26gSugar: 14.89gVitamin A: 4783.19IUVitamin C: 19.45mgCalcium: 724.63mgIron: 6.97mg