[MUSIC]
[SOUND] I am in the mood for
something really Italian.
>> I'll call Giovanni.
>> I meant to eat.
>> Me too.
[LAUGH] Hey, everybody,
welcome to How to Feed a Loon.
I'm Kris
>> And I'm Wesley.
>> The Italian stallion eating Loon!
[LAUGH]
>> The Italian stallion.
>> Yeah, not even close.
Anyway, so welcome, we are so excited.
Today we are doing another
one of our favorite dishes.
We're always doing our favorite dishes.
>> Well, duh?
>> I know, but this one is like one
of the most popular ones on the blog.
So we gotta share it with
you because it's really-
>> And it's so easy and
it's perfect for big groups.
>> It is, it is.
You probably wondering what it is?
It's my best ever baked Ziti.
>> Mm-hm.
Okay, so let's do it.
>> Let's do it.
>> So this is one of my favorite,
favorite baked Italian-American dishes.
Because it's got the components of-
>> It's my holy trinity
is what you're going to say.
[LAUGH]
>> It's great because it's got pasta,
of course.
It's got cheese.
>> Yay. [LAUGH] >> Three
different kinds of cheese.
And then it's got the sauce.
>> Woo, the sauce, the sauce.
>> The sauce,
let me tell you about the sauce.
>> What is a Italian word for sauce?
Sauce.
>> Sauce.
[LAUGH]
>> [LAUGH] The Brooklyn Italian.
>> Sauce.
Anyway, I'm going to
tell you about my sauce.
It's so good.
And this is really the key to a great,
great, great baked ziti.
>> It really is amaizing.
>> You've gotta have a good sauce.
>> It's amazing.
>> So
it all starts with homemade marinara.
So, I'm going to tell you how
I make my homemade marinara.
>> He made it yesterday.
>> Yes.
>> And it's amazing.
>> Again, that's another great thing,
is you can make the sauce and
the marinara ahead of time.
You can double it and freeze it.
>> It's even better after it's
been in the fridge for a day.
>> It is, it is.
The flavors melt.
So I'm going to tell them
how to make marinara.
>> All right, all right, all right.
>> Here we go.
>> Okay, it starts off with
San Marzano tomatoes from Italy.
[SOUND] You gotta make
sure they're certified.
>> Certified.
>> They are the best.
I get a colander and I put it over a large
bowl, and then I dump three 28 ounce
cans into that colander and I let that
liquid just drain out for about 5 minutes.
Then I'm going to heat up a quarter
cup of olive oil over medium heat, and
then I'm going to take some garlic, about
a quarter cup, that seems like a lot but
that's what-
>> [LAUGH]
>> You want.
And you're going to put that in there and
you're going to let that simmer and
saute for about five minutes until
it get's a golden, golden brown.
>> Mm-hm
>> Then I add in some parsley,
I add in some basil.
>> The basil.
>> And
then I'm going to take some kosher salt,
just because I love kosher salt.
It's so good, and then I take
some freshly ground black pepper,
and then let that simmer, and
you will not believe the smell.
Then I take those tomatoes and
I crush them.
>> Ooh, you're getting messy.
[LAUGHING]
>> I crush them with my own hands,
that's the way to do it, and
you put those all in there and
you let those simmer until they
really start to break down.
And then after about 15 to 20 minutes,
you put in the tomato sauce.
Yes, and let that simmer for
another on high for about 12 minutes and
you will not believe
the smell in your kitchen.
And then you'll let it come
to room temperature and
look at that gorgeous gorgeous
>> I'm dying.
>> Marinara,
[SOUND] I could marry that marinara.
It's so good.
Now, let me show you how we're
going to take that marinara and
we're going to make the best sauce ever.
>> The best.
>> Okay, once again, we're going to heat
up about a quarter cup of olive oil.
And then we are going to saute what
I like to call the holy trinity.
>> That's right.
>> It's some chopped carrot, so colorful.
And then we're going to throw
in some chopped onions.
This is about a half a cup each.
And then we got some celery.
Isn't that beautiful.
>> The colors.
>> And then we're going to sautee that
until it's nice and translucent and
it's cooked down.
And then we're going to add the meat.
We've got some Italian sausage.
I've got about eight ounces of
[CROSSTALK] hot sausage and sweet,
I took the casings off and
put that in there.
And then I threw in the pound of ground
beef just because we're going to make
this a meat sauce.
>> Of course.
>> That cooks down, and that's wonderful.
And then we're going to
add a cup of red wine.
>> Red, red wine.
>> It's a good, robust red wine.
Let that liquid completely cook out.
It's going to be so fantastic.
Then we're adding three
tablespoons of tomato paste, and
then that incredible marinara.
>> The marinara.
>> That is so wonderful.
[CROSSTALK]
>> [SOUND] Look at that.
>> You're going to bring that to a simmer
for about 30 minutes [CROSSTALK]
>> Ooh stir that all up in there.
>> It's so delicious, and
then after 30 minutes, I pour in-
>> I didn't know that.
>> Yeah, I pour in about
a half a cup of whole milk.
>> Wow!
>> Just to deepen that flavor.
>> And now, we have this lovely thing.
>> It is a thing of beauty,
let me tell you.
>> [LAUGH] It's not a thing,
it's a wonderful piece of work.
[LAUGH]
>> It is, it's a masterpiece,
if I do say so myself.
Okay-
>> It's your Da Vinci, wait, no,
not Da Vinci, whatever.
What is it?
Your Michael.
No.
You're David.
There we go.
>> Okay, so
now I'm going to tell you how to create
this beautiful beautiful masterpiece.
It's just a matter of assembling now.
So like I said we got the sauces.
>> Yes.
>> So great.
We've got some ziti.
That I boiled up, it's al dente.
>> It's all ready to go.
>> Let me tell you a little
trick on this that you can do.
When you cook this,
if you can cook this up ahead of
time if the loon doesn't eat it all.
>> [LAUGH]
>> You can drain it and
then I don't usually like to do this,
because I think it sort of alters the
taste when you're making it in pasta, but
you can put a little
dash of olive oil on it.
>> And then, it's going to stay.
>> Yeah.
>> Nice, and
it's not going to stick together, and all.
>> Exactly.
>> If you left this like this to assmble,
and you didn't do that, it's going to all.
>> It's going to be all.
[SOUND]
>> A clump.
Clunk.
>> [LAUGH]
>> Great.
You could wear it as
like a hat.
>> [LAUGH]
>> And then, anyways, so we've got some.
>> A pasta hat.
>> Then we've got some beautiful
ricotta cheese here.
>> [SOUND]
>> I love going whole milk.
It's so wonderful.
>> You know what, isn't this
the Fulper Farms ricotta?
>> Yes, that's our favorite
Fulper Farms that we love so much.
>> Yay.
>> And then I've got some whole
milk mozzerella that's been shredded,
this is about 16 ounces
>> And then I've got some parmesan cheese,
because there's never enough,
too much cheese.
>> Yeah
>> And then later we're going to top this
with some fresh parsley.
So that's all there is to this to make
this incredible, incredible dish.
So I am going to get started.
>> All right, so you're going to layer.
>> And we'll put just a thin layer.
>> What am I going to do?
>> Well whatever you usually do most.
>> Just talk?
>> Just talk and watch.
>> No, no no.
>> No, this is definitely
one of our favorite dishes
>> What is it?
So it's pasta, or it's sauce.
>> And then pasta.
>> It's what I just described.
>> You did?
This must have been talking about, or
thinking about something.
>> What a shock that
you weren't listening.
Okay, so
you want to thin layer of the sauce.
>> Okay.
>> Okay.
>> And then you do the riccata.
>> I literally just do
>> Dollops.
>> Big old dollops.
>> Okay.
>> I mean, they're so wonderful that way.
And the great thing about this too.
>> Calm down.
Don't be all flick ing it everywhere.
>> Is you make a big batch of the sauce,
and you make a big old batch of the pasta.
And then you can really,
you just eyeball this.
>> Yeah.
>> Like I said, you're doing layers.
>> So, if you don't use all of
your ingredients, that's ok.
>> Make a little small afternoon
ziti dish for yourself.
Lunch ziti.
>> Or you make this right here.
>> That was my job.
>> Well, if I wait for
you to do it'll never get done.
All right, well, I snooze, I lose.
>> Now I'm going to put on
some of this parmesan cheese.
>> Now you used to make this.
In the village when we first
>> Yes.
>> Met each other like back in.
[SOUND] We're not going to say [LAUGH]
>> Awhile ago.
>> [LAUGH]
>> Yeah, no this has been a favorite.
>> It's when the meat packing district
was still the meat packing district.
[LAUGH]
>> Yeah, yeah, that's right.
>> We had so much fun down there.
>> We did.
>> And this was a special night, but
it wasn't this version it was kind of a,
what was it?
Economy version.
>> Yeah well.
>> Very economy.
>> Sometimes.
>> And that was a special occasion [LAUGH]
>> Yeah.
Well, it was still really good, because
it was made with tender love and care.
>> Yes it was.
In this dinky kitchen.
The size of my head basically.
>> It wasn't that big.
>> [LAUGH]
>> Anyways, nothing is quite that big.
>> Always, always,
even back in the village.
[LAUGH] No, and when I would make it
instead of using Ricotta cheese like this,
a trick that a lot of southern cooks do,
and this is really good.
But, you actually use cottage cheese.
>> A little cottage cheese.
>> And when I was a kid,
I didn't even know that.
>> [CROSSTALK] I had no
idea what ricotta was.
>> I didn't even know that you
didn't use cottage cheese.
>> I grew up in South Dakota, and ricotta,
to me, was something I've never heard of.
>> Yeah, I know.
>> But I did know about cottage cheese.
Our favorite thing to make for
a Friday night snack was Ritz crackers,
cottage cheese, and
some paprika sprinkled on top.
>> Well, that's fancy.
>> And watched the Dukes of Hazard.
[LAUGH]
>> [LAUGH]
>> My mom's favorite show.
>> That's ridiculous.
>> Right, mom?
>> Okay, so now look at that.
That is so fantastic.
So this is really ready to go.
I did this-
>> I'm exhausted.
>> Yeah [SOUND].
[LAUGH]
>> So anyway, so this is beautiful.
>> Here, let's not lose this cheese.
>> So this is, like I said,
this was all stacked.
This is ready to go.
I've preheated an oven to
350 degrees Farenheit.
We're going to stick this in there and
we're going to let it cook until it's
bubbly, it's nice and golden on top.
And then we're going to come back and
we're going to sprinkle.
You know what, I'm going to sprinkle
a lit bit more Parm on here.
>> You know what, sprigs.
>> Just because, why not,
parmesan cheese was meant for sprinkling.
>> And we have enough for Giovanni.
[LAUGH]
>> Well, that's for sure.
All right, so
we're going to put this in the oven and
then when we come back,
we're going to eat.
>> Yay.
>> You guys, this is pasta perfection.
>> That's your work of art.
>> This is my David is what
you've been trying to say.
>> This is your David.
[LAUGH]
>> Yeah no, it really, and
the smell as always is just spectacular.
[SOUND] And this is so great for
serving family and friends-
>> And the leftovers are amazing.
>> Bring to a potluck or
a church dinner or whatever.
The leftovers are amazing.
>> Just jump right in there and
I'll tell you what I thought.
[LAUGH]
>> So what I like to do is,
I just take a little fresh parsley.
It just adds a little color,
and it's wonderful.
>> Yeah, yeah, that's great, and
you know what I like to do, is eat it.
>> I know you do, so
I'm going to go ahead, and
as I do, here, here you hold that and
I'm going to get you.
>> I don't know what to hold.
I'm so.
>> I know.
It's coming, don't worry.
Now, look at that.
Hello
>> Is that not-
>> Hello.
>> Beautiful [CROSSTALK]
>> That's all right, come on over here.
Chris.
>> Insane, I know.
>> Don't you dare get away from me,
you cheese.
>> All out.
>> You cheese you.
You wonderful looking cheese.
>> It's so cheesy,
>> Cheesy, cheesy.
>> I tell you what, that looks good.
>> Why do you always get to eat and
I just-
>> You get to eat it.
>> I know, that's true I do.
>> Please.
>> All right.
>> It just has to be approved by moi.
>> [LAUGH]
>> I let this sit for about five mintues,
just one so he won't burn his mouth.
>> Yes, thank you, thank you.
>> And also, it just helps everything to
kind of set, and the flavors really meld.
>> Yeah, it is melded.
>> It is melded.
>> All right folks, I'm going in.
[SOUND] [LAUGH] Lordy, Lordy, Lordy.
This is so good,
that cheese, and, but the-
>> The sauce.
>> The ricotta.
>> And the ricotta.
>> The ricotta is really fresh.
And then the, my god, the meat sauce,
it's been marinating for a day and a half,
eight weeks.
>> I don't really marinate my meat sauce,
but yes, I cooked it.
>> I meant, sitting in it's, I don't know,
what do you call it, stewing.
>> Just eat it.
>> Anyway, this is 100% Start over.
This is 100% loon approved.
>> Yeah,
I pretty much was sure of that one.
We are batting 1000.
>> You are.
>> I gotta dig into this.
I just can't wait any longer.
>> It's just amazing.
It's so comforting, ya'll.
>> It really is the ultimate comfort.
>> Yes, now you can get this recipe and
many more on howtofeedaloon.com.
That.
>> [LAUGH]
>> And be sure to like us and share us and
do all of that fun social stuff.
So the word can get out and you also
don't ever miss another great recipe and
just have so much fun.
>> Never, never ever,
ever, ever, ever, woo.
>> And you guys, you have to make this.
It's so good.
>> My God, your sauce,
your sauce is to die for.
>> It's to die for, I tell you.
>> I can't tell you how
much the sauce tastes
like my
>> Well-
>> No.
>> You go ahead and tell me and
I'm just going to keep eating.
[LAUGH]
>> I can't talk like that for
a long time, bye.
[LAUGH]
>> Hey.
[LAUGH]
>> Hey, now if you like what you saw,
make sure you subscribe
to our YouTube channel.
>> That's right, and to get more wonderful
Italian recipes, just click right here.
Yay, amore!
>> Yeah, right here, right here.
You won't miss a thing.
>> That's right.
