Baked Greek-Style Beef and Ziti Casserole

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stovetop. Add 12 oz uncooked ziti pasta and cook for 8 minutes (slightly under al dente, as it will finish baking in the oven). Drain the pasta and set it aside.

Peel and finely chop 1 medium yellow onion. Peel and mince 3 garlic cloves. Wash, dry, and finely chop 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves and 0.25 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and minced garlic cloves; sauté for 3 minutes until soft and fragrant.

Add 1.25 lb raw ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, for 5 minutes just until it is no longer pink. This keeps the meat incredibly juicy for baking and reheating tomorrow.

Stir in 15 oz canned crushed tomatoes, 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes to allow the Mediterranean flavors to combine.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Gently fold in the drained ziti pasta, 0.25 cup chopped fresh mint leaves, and 0.25 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.

In a small bowl, stir 1 cup ricotta cheese to soften it slightly, then gently fold the ricotta into the warm pasta and beef mixture to create creamy, marbled pockets.

Transfer the mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.

Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted, golden-brown, and bubbling at the edges. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.