No matter the weather, it’s pretty much impossible not to daydream about cheesy baked carbs. Luckily, this dish is guaranteed to make those dreams come true. In it, you’ll find penne and zucchini layered with herby, creamy ricotta and a rich marinara sauce. To top things off, there’s a melty blanket of mozzarella. Serve it right from the dish for maximum cheese pull potential and wait for the oohs and aahs from your lucky fellow diners.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
1 unit
Zucchini
1 unit
Yellow Onion
1 unit
Tomato
6 ounce
Penne Pasta
(Contains Wheat)
5 ounce
Marinara Cup
1 tablespoon
Italian Seasoning
4 ounce
Ricotta Cheese
(Contains Milk)
½ cup
Mozzarella Cheese
(Contains Milk)
1 teaspoon
Chili Flakes
1.5 ounce
Tomato Paste
2 unit
Veggie Stock Concentrate
10 ounce
Shrimp
(Contains Shellfish)
4 teaspoon
Olive Oil
1.5 teaspoon
Sugar
1 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains Milk)
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. • Halve, peel, and dice half the onion (whole onion for 4 servings). Finely dice tomato. Trim zucchini, then grate on the largest holes of a box grater.
• Once water is boiling, add penne to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until almost al dente, 8 minutes (it’ll finish cooking in Step 6). • Drain penne. (Keep empty pot handy for Step 5.)
Rinse shrimp under cold water. Pat shrimp or chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp or chicken; cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 3-5 minutes for shrimp, or 4-6 minutes for chicken. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.
• Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, tomato, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 4-6 minutes. • Stir in marinara, zucchini, stock concentrates, tomato paste, ½ tsp Italian Seasoning, ¾ cup water, 1½ tsp sugar, 2 tsp olive oil, and ¾ tsp salt. (For 4 servings, use 1 tsp Italian Seasoning, 1½ cups water, 3 tsp sugar, 4 tsp olive oil, and 1½ tsp salt.) Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring, 3 minutes more. Turn off heat.
Use pan used for shrimp or chicken here.
• While sauce simmers, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta, ½ tsp Italian Seasoning (1 tsp for 4 servings), and a drizzle of olive oil. (Use the rest of the Italian Seasoning as you like.) Season with salt and pepper.
• Add drained penne, sauce, and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) to pot used for pasta. Season with salt and pepper; stir to thoroughly combine. • Spread out half the pasta mixture in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. (For 4, use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.) Using a tablespoon, dollop pasta mixture with herbed ricotta. Top with remaining pasta mixture, then sprinkle with mozzarella.
Stir shrimp or chicken into pot along with drained penne.
• Cover baking dish with foil. (TIP: Coat inside of foil with nonstick spray first to prevent sticking.) Bake pasta on top rack for 10 minutes, then remove from oven; discard foil. • Heat broiler to high. Broil until cheese is lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. TIP: Watch carefully to avoid burning. • Let cool slightly; top with chili flakes if desired. Divide between plates and serve.
Shrimp are fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145º.