Over the course of its 300-year history, New Orleans’ cuisine has been one of its greatest gifts to the world. Now, as we celebrate the city’s 300th birthday and WWL-TV’s 60th anniversary, our gift to you is a free e-cookbook, with free summertime recipes.
Kev's Marinara Sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic. minced
2 28-ounce cans peeled crushed or diced
1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
3-4 Tbsp tomato paste
Heat a large pot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add oil, and garlic. Sauté briefly for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until barely golden brown. Then add tomatoes, Creole seasoning, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper flake.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add basil and stir. Cook for 5 minutes more.
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt, oregano, or basil, pepper flake, or sugar. Add tomato paste for more depth of flavor and richness
If the sauce has thickened too much at this point, thin with a little stock.
Baked Ziti
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 lb ziti pasta
Olive oil
1 lb bulk Italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
1 Tbsp fresh basil, minced
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
8 cups marinara sauce (see marinara recipe above)
1/2 lb of mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook at a rolling boil, uncovered, until the pasta is edible but still a little firm to the bite (al dente).
Drain the pasta. Toss with a little olive oil so the pasta does not stick.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering hot, add the bulk sausage. Break up any large chunks of sausage as it cooks. Brown well.
When the meat is mostly browned, add the onions and stir well to combine. Sauté everything until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 4-5 minutes.
Add the Creole seasoning, garlic, basil, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Cook 1 minute, then add the tomato sauce and stir well. Bring to a simmer.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole pan, then dot the surface with half the ricotta cheese. Ladle a spoonful of sauce into the pasta, stir it well and then add the pasta into the casserole.
Pour the rest of the sauce over the pasta, dot the remaining ricotta cheese over the pasta, and sprinkle on top both the mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese.
Bake in oven at 350 degrees until the top is lightly browned and the cheese melted, about 20 minutes.