New York Style Ziti

Recipe Courtesy of Chef Bryan Woolley

Ingredients:

• 1 lb hamburger
• 1 lb spicy Italian sausage
• 1 bottle of Ragu style sauce
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 box of ziti
• 1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• mozzarella cheese
• parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the hamburger and Italian sausage together.
2. Add onion, garlic, and Italian seasonings. Sauté for about 5 minutes than add the ragu style sauce, stir together and set aside.
3. While meat is cooking, prepare ziti pasta as directed on the package.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and egg.
5. In large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese mixture, meat mixture, and the cooked ziti noodles. Stir to combine.
6. Transfer ziti mixture into a 9×13 cake pan, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese, cover with tin foil and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.  Remove the tin foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
7. Serve and Enjoy!

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Recipe Courtesy Chef Bryan Woolley

Ingredients:

• 1/2 gallon whole milk (can use skim, 1%, 2%, whole milk or cream…)
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp white distilled vinegar

Instructions:

1. Pour the milk into a heavy bottomed pot.  Add the salt and heat to 180 degree’s.
2. Pour in the distilled vinegar and gently stir.  The milk will begin to separate into curds and whey.
3. Let the milk cool down to room temperature and strain it through a cheese cloth.  Tie the cheese cloth up and let it drain additional whey off for about 20 minutes.  Enjoy your fresh ricotta cheese!

Homemade Italian Sausage

Recipe Courtesy Chef Bryan Woolley

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds pork shoulder (meat removed from bone)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 3 tbsp paprika
• 1-2 tbsp red pepper flakes (adjust for spiciness)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions:

1. Place the meat in batches in your food processor or a meat grinder.  Pulse the meat in the food processor to finely chop or grind the meat pieces in a meat grinder.
2. Place the prepared meat in a bowl and add the spices and mix throughly.
3. Use prepared Italian Sausage as needed.