Black Garlic Baked Ziti
For a recipe that is the number one hit when you look up funeral food I was surprised that I had never seen or tasted this dish! When we talk about funeral food what we are really discussing are two very different things, food you bring to the funeral and food you bring to the griever. So I guess, having only worked in a mortuary it’s not really a surprise that I missed this gem, because this is the kind of food you bring straight to the home of those in need, and realistically it’s probably going to go straight in the refrigerator or freezer, but don’t let that get you down, that is why Baked Ziti is so popular. It’s a meal that’s easy to make a lot of, easy to chill, and most importantly, easy to reheat. Keep in mind that people who are grieving often lose their appetite so they may be hungry at odd hours or just not at all, and I promise you when the sensation for the pleasure of food hits, they’ll be happy to have this hanging around.
So what is Ziti?
Ziti is a smooth-exterior pasta that hails from Naples, Italy (located in the Campania region). Its ends are cut straight rather than at a diagonal which makes it noticeably different than penne. The word “ziti” comes from the world for “bridegroom” or “the betrothed,” and it’s traditionally served as the first course of a wedding lunch which definitely makes it interesting that it has also become associated with funerals, perhaps there is a somber beauty here in that you are wed to the dead now?
What should I know about dropping this bad boy off?
Well, one thing to mention is that you probably shouldn’t be using anything you want back anytime soon, or ever for that matter. While in generally I am staunchly against to-go boxes, this is a time I would suggest it. Try getting some aluminum trays that make transporting and storage easy. You may also want to consider bringing napkins and or paper towels, it seems silly but when people are grieving the day to day basics are not a priority and they may not have anything on hand to wipe away the sauce or mess they may make while eating.
Reheating instructions are also a great thing to add. You don’t have to get fancy and make a Hallmark style checklist, grab a sharpie and write on the lid of the dish “To reheat in the oven: Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes.” Or, if you are giving them one of your own personal dishes just attach it to the lid with some tape. Don’t make them work on figuring out how to cook it is all I am saying here.
Let’s get to the good stuff!
Look tbh, it’s real hard to mess this dish up, it’s a no hassle lasagna essentially. It’s also good to note that you do not have to add the black garlic like I did, although it really bumps up the incredibleness of the dish!
Ingredients
CASHEW CHEESE
1 1/2 cups raw cashews
3/4 cup water
juice from 1 large lemon (2-3 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 garlic cloves
3-5 cloves of black garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
THE REST
1 pound ziti noodles, gluten free if needed
25 ounces marinara sauce ( 1 jar)
2 1/2 cups vegan ground "beef" OR 2-3 sliced vegan sausages, optional
1 bag non-dairy mozzarella cheese shreds, optional for topping
I used cheddar as that is all I had on hand and it still tastes great although I should let you know my friend did tell me her grandmother would be horrified lol. And, I’ll tell you what I told her, “desperate times…”
Optional: non dairy ricotta cheese
Optional: Vegan Parmesan
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. You will want a large dish for this, if you only have a couple smaller ones just split the batch in two.
Make the Cashew Cheese sauce: Soak the cashews in boiling hot water for at least 5 minutes.
If you do not have an electric kettle yet, please get one! It makes stuff like this a breeze because it makes your water hot hot hot quick quick quick.
Drain the cashews and add them to a high powered blender along with the water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder and salt. Blend until smooth, scraping the sides down as needed. Set aside.
Prepare pasta according to package instructions. You can cook the pasta while your cashews are soaking to save time. Drain the noodles and add to casserole dish.
Pour the marinara sauce and "meat", if using, on top of the noodles and stir to combine.
Spoon the cashew cheese on top of noodle/sauce mixture and stir gently, leaving pockets of cheese intact.
Sprinkle with non-dairy mozzarella cheese shreds OR about 1/2 cup of Vegan Parmesan.
Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes until hot throughout.
If you are making this for yourself then eat and enjoy, if it’s to go, then let it cool uncovered for a bit then cover and place in fridge until ready for delivery.
