Sal’s Sicilian Baked Ziti

A family recipe told exactly the way it’s supposed to be… loud, loving, and covered in sauce.

You always knew it was gonna be a good Sunday when my father, Salvatore, though nobody on Earth calls him that because the whole family calls him Sally… don’t ask, walked into the kitchen wearing the outfit.

The white sleeveless Italian T-shirt.

The thick gold chain.

And hanging right in the middle of his chest, the Jesus Christ medallion my mother bought him years ago that swung around while he cooked like it was conducting the whole operation itself.

Before we even got home from the store, the man was already planning the meal out loud.

“C’mon! Let’s make baked ziti!!!!”

And before anybody could touch a spoon:

“GO WASH YA HANDS ”

Then the kitchen would turn into organized chaos. Sauce simmering. Cheese everywhere. Somebody slicing Mozzarella too thick. My mother yelling from another room that Sally better not overcook the pasta again. The smell alone could bring neighbors back from the dead.

And if you made the pasta soft? Forget it.

“You cook it too much, ya screwed it up ”

This wasn’t just baked ziti. This was a Sicilian construction project.

Pasta & Cheese

3 pounds ziti with the lines!!!! Ya gotta get it

32 ounces ricotta or impastata

2 eggs

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese

2 1/2 cups fresh milk mozzarella, sliced thin, no salt