White Sauce for Baked Ziti?

Question

I'm new to cooking, please bear with my limited knowledge of the field..

My question is, what do you call the white sauce that goes well with baked ziti?

I would also appreciate it if you could post a link or give me a recipe for it..

Thanks!

When I order a baked ziti from Sbarro, they will ask if I wanted tomato sauce or white sauce on it.. I am puzzled what is that 'white sauce'..

Answer 1

You could use either bechamel, or alfredo, both would work for baked ziti. You could also use vodka cream sauce which is kind of like a cross between marinara and alfredo with booze for a little kick...the alcohol cooks off.

For bechamel, try some Ementhaler Swiss or another soft "fondue friendly" cheese melted in. It is really good in italian food. It can be a substitute for traditional tomato based meat sauce (esp if you are trying to cut meat) OR alongside meat sauce, such as another layer of a lasagna (in which case it would replace the egg-ricotta-parmesan mixture...the white layer). In my opinion, the only difference between baked ziti and lasagna is the assembly and the look, mostly the same ingredients...just different shaped noodles. So you could use bechamel with great success.

Answer 2

Sbarro Baked Ziti

Answer 3

I don't want to seem condesending so I will send a recipe for a bechamel sauce, it is sometimes used in veggie lasagna. This is the recipe I use. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/40046
I am not so specific with my pepper though. I don't mind the little black specks and prefer the taste of black pepper.

But I wonder if the sauce you are thinking about isn't ricotta cheese. When it get's hot it will take a sauce like consistency.

There are a ton of recipes out there, but I have never heard of baked ziti with a white sauce.

Answer 4

Bechamel sauce is the basic white sauce, there is also Mornay sauce, which is the same base sauce with 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese added to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heated milk
salt
white pepper
freshly ground nutmeg (optional)

PREPARATION:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until mixture is well blended. Gradually stir in hot milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to boil and thickens.

Simmer, stirring frequently, over very low heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add a little nutmeg, if desire. Makes about 1 cup of medium thick sauce.


This website(link) has a few variations....

Answer 5

Alfredo Sauce. Don't use a jar - you can make this, it's SUPER easy!

* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and serve.

When in doubt - www.foodnetwork.com

Answer 6

A basic white sauce is equal amounts of fat to flour, you cook the two together to make a roux, then add in milk.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine in a pan, add in 1 tablespoon of flour, stir constantly and cook for about 2 minutes, add in 1 cup of milk and stir/whisk constantly over a medium heat untill thick. PLease adjust the liquid to get the right consistency. Try www.recipezaar.com
or www.foodnetwork.com or google basic white sauce recipe.

Answer 7

It's not normally sauce that you put in with the ziti! It's Ricotta cheese mixed in that looks white!

Answer 8

Bechamel - Basic White Sauce
Formula for making a thin, medium and thick white sauce.
6-8 servings 2 cups 25 min 20 min prep

2 cups milk
1 slice onions, large
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 pinch nutmeg
salt
white pepper

Scald the milk with the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns.
Cover and let infuse off heat for 10-15 minutes.
In a heavy based saucepan, melt butter, whisk in flour and cook, stirring, until the flour is foaming but not browned- about 1 minute.
Off heat, strain in the hot milk.
Whisk well, then bring to a boil, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens.
season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and leave to simmer slowly for 1-2 minutes.
NOTE: This make what is called a"MEDIUM" bechamel.
For a"THIN" bechamel use 2 tbl butter and 2 tbl flour.
For a"THICK" bechamel use 4 tbl butter and 4 tbl flour.

Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis This is a great side dish or main dish!
6 servings 55 min 25 min prep

Bechamel sauce
1/2 cup unsalted butter
10 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, at room temperature
1 pinch fresh nutmeg
sea salt
white pepper
1 cup grated fontina
1/2 lb thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
1 lb dry rigatoni pasta
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Bechamel sauce: In a 2 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Always stirring, gradually add the milk and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
This will take approximately 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, 1/2 cup fontina, prosciutto and season with salt and white pepper.
Set aside.
In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water.
Add the rigatoni and cook for about 5 minutes.
Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard.
Drain in a colander.
Return pasta to the pot and pour in bechamel sauce.
Using a wooden spoon, mix well until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.
Into a greased 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pour the pasta with cream sauce.
Smooth out top and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup fontina.
Dot the top with diced butter and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Answer 9

I believe you're talking about alfredo sauce, my dear. You can make it home made but there are lots of delicious ones available in jars...From Prego, Ragu etc....
Good luck! It's nice to hear people are still at least trying to cook! :-)
Try www.allrecipes.com They have some good ones!

Answer 10

Will depend on on the context really. Which is better as a snack - fruits to me. It's tastier and gives you that little of sweetness. Which can be better as a snack if you are trying hard to lower back on sugar and lose weight vegetables