There are days when the usual ho hum meals just won't do. Sometimes, the masses require something more elaborate or shall I say, more hearty and homey. My favourite comfort food is baked ziti. My mom is a master when it comes to that particular dish. Then again, I have yet to find a food item that she hasn't mastered. She's one of those people who can make a plain apple taste better just by looking at it.
I learned how to make baked ziti after helping my mother in the kitchen every so often. I've adapted her recipe to make it dairy free. Traditionally, my mom would include some cooked ground beef in the middle layer, but I didn't have any. For a protein source, I served my popular easy bake chicken instead. It's delicious. And now, it's dinner time... Oh and don't forget the greens - some form of salad or veggie side dish alongside rounds up the meal.
Dairy Free Baked Ziti
Yields: Single 9x13 inch tray (8 servings)
450 grams dry pasta (only penne, rigatoni or ziti)
3 Tbsp dairy free margarine
5 Tbsp whole wheat flour
4 cups unsweetened soy milk (buy unsweetened, really, ziti is not meant to taste sweet)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup dairy free pasta sauce
1/2 tsp crushed dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed dried rosemary
Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.
While pasta is cooking, begin making the bechamel sauce by melting margarine in a heavy sauce pot on medium high heat. Add the flour and stir quickly making sure not to burn. Lower the heat if you have to. Stir continuously until flour is cooked. The colour will darken slightly and you'll be able to smell it. Slowly add the soy milk while whisking rapidly so as to avoid clumps. Continue to stir with whisk until the bechamel thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper then set aside but mix occasionally to keep a skin from forming.
Drain pasta and in the same pot pour the tomato sauce. Add salt, pepper, basil, and rosemary. Stir until heated then add the pasta and toss to coat. Transfer to a glass 9x13 inch baking dish or corning ware if you prefer. (This is where you would add ground beef, in between two layers of pasta, but I had none on hand.) Pour the bechamel sauce over the pasta and even it out with a spatula to cover the entire thing. Put in the oven under the broiler setting for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is dark brown and bubbly. Let set for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with a side dish of greens or garden salad.
Nutritional Info (per serving)
Calories 338.38, Total Fat 8.05g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 315.14mg, Potassium 382.46mg, Total Carbohydrates 55g, Fiber 1.78g, Sugar 4.45g, Protein 11.4g
Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.
I learned how to make baked ziti after helping my mother in the kitchen every so often. I've adapted her recipe to make it dairy free. Traditionally, my mom would include some cooked ground beef in the middle layer, but I didn't have any. For a protein source, I served my popular easy bake chicken instead. It's delicious. And now, it's dinner time... Oh and don't forget the greens - some form of salad or veggie side dish alongside rounds up the meal.
Dairy Free Baked Ziti
Yields: Single 9x13 inch tray (8 servings)
450 grams dry pasta (only penne, rigatoni or ziti)
3 Tbsp dairy free margarine
5 Tbsp whole wheat flour
4 cups unsweetened soy milk (buy unsweetened, really, ziti is not meant to taste sweet)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup dairy free pasta sauce
1/2 tsp crushed dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed dried rosemary
Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.
While pasta is cooking, begin making the bechamel sauce by melting margarine in a heavy sauce pot on medium high heat. Add the flour and stir quickly making sure not to burn. Lower the heat if you have to. Stir continuously until flour is cooked. The colour will darken slightly and you'll be able to smell it. Slowly add the soy milk while whisking rapidly so as to avoid clumps. Continue to stir with whisk until the bechamel thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper then set aside but mix occasionally to keep a skin from forming.
Drain pasta and in the same pot pour the tomato sauce. Add salt, pepper, basil, and rosemary. Stir until heated then add the pasta and toss to coat. Transfer to a glass 9x13 inch baking dish or corning ware if you prefer. (This is where you would add ground beef, in between two layers of pasta, but I had none on hand.) Pour the bechamel sauce over the pasta and even it out with a spatula to cover the entire thing. Put in the oven under the broiler setting for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is dark brown and bubbly. Let set for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with a side dish of greens or garden salad.
Nutritional Info (per serving)
Calories 338.38, Total Fat 8.05g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 315.14mg, Potassium 382.46mg, Total Carbohydrates 55g, Fiber 1.78g, Sugar 4.45g, Protein 11.4g
Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.
