Lemon Basil Baked Ziti
Lemon Basil Baked Ziti
Our family, including our beloved Grandma Lorraine, who famously told us that “there’s not much in life that can’t be made better with butter,” has made developing the perfect batch of butter our family legacy. This goal is more than 125 years in the making, a passion passed on from generation to generation, including our children, who make up generation six.
The end result is a line high butterfat butter in multiple, dreamy flavors, from sea salt butter to the garlic herb variety.
You can grab the rolled version of our butter — or the classic sticks you’ll often find on store shelves — from your local market or specialty store, by using our location tool.
Be sure to keep up with our latest creations through our Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram pages.
So, without further ado, here’s our recipe for Lemon Basil Baked Ziti:
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ziti pasta
- 6 ounces pancetta, chopped
- 4 ounces Minerva Dairy Sea Salt Butter (plus 1 tablespoon to grease baking dish)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups half & half
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan (plus 1/3 cup set aside)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1, 5oz. container seasoned croutons
- 2 tablespoons Minerva Dairy Garlic Herb Butter, melted
- 1 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
- Juice of 1 lemon
directions:
- Cook pasta until al dente or according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.
- Brown pancetta until crispy, set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any drippings.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a saucepan, melt the Minerva Dairy Sea Salt butter then add flour. Whisk until smooth. Then, cook for another 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add half & half, sea salt, black pepper, ¾ cup Parmesan, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Continue to cook and stir. As the sauce begins to thicken, add lemon zest and remove from heat.
- In a food processor, pulse the croutons until they become crumbs and add the remaining 1/3 cup of Parmesan. Pulse a few more times to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and drained pasta, cream sauce, basil, oregano, pancetta, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Pour pasta mixture into greased 9”x13” baking dish and top with the crumbled crouton mixture. Drizzle with melted Minerva Dairy Garlic Herb Butter and bake until bubbly and golden brown.