Need help with - can I make Baked Ziti in advance and freeze it

[clh2]

If you all have any experience with this - I would be greatful!

I am hosting a pasta party in 2 weeks for a Girls High School Cross Country team...all 50 of them.

Part of the menu will include 4 pans of baked ziti. Today - I received a 5# bag of mozararella cheese for FREE! So - since that will cover me on the mozz cheese for 4 pans of ziti - I needto figure out - should I freeze the mozz cheese, and then bake the ziti as I had originally planned? Should I make the ziti this weekend and then freeze it, (unbaked), or should I make it, bake it and then freeze it.

I would be appreciative of any advice you could give!!!

Thank you!
clh2

 

[Imzadi]

Yes. In order for any food to freeze & reheat well, you have to make sure there is extra sauce or liquids. Otherwise, the food will dry out while baking.

Undercook the ziti a little, so while it's reheating, it doesn't overcook and get all limp and soggy, but will finish cooking while the sauce is heating and the cheese is melting.

So, get some disposable aluminum pans. Grease them. Make and underbake the ziti in the pans. Freeze. Then pull out to heat & finish cooking.

Oh, and use Barilla PLUS pasta, yellow boxes, (or mix in some,) instead of regular pasta. It is made with chick peas, eggs, & fiber, so the pasta is more protein and less carbs. It tastes exactly like regular pasta, not boiled cardboard. NO ONE will know the difference.

 

[mrsstats]

If you will be pressed for time, make it now, dont bake it and freeze it. Otherwise just freeze the cheese & make it when you need it.

 

[Buckalew11]

I made 6 trays of manicotti last weekend. I undercooked the noodles, filled them and places them back into those plastic trays they come in. I then used my FoodSaver and placed them in my freezer. I'll take them out, put them in the baking dish with sauce and bake them.

Good luck!

Plus I second the Barilla Plus. I always use that!!

 

[Piglets Mommy]

I agree with Make, underbake and freeze. We do this at Church all the time. Then when something is needed when someone is ill, just had a baby, etc, we deliver it to them and they finish baking. I second the adding a little extra liquid too.

 

[kimblebee]

Don't freeze the cheese to use later. It dries out and won't melt as nicely as it would if it were fresh. I would agree with other posters who say to undercook it a bit and then cool it and freeze it.

 

[Minnie_me]

When I take frozen baked ziti out and prepare it to reheat, I either add some sauce (if it's going into the oven) or sprinkle some water on top of the cheese (esp if it's going into the microwave) to keep it from drying out.

 

[clh2]

Thanks so much!!!

Looks like I'll be making Ziti this weekend!!! I'll make sure I have extra sauce on hand for reheating!!!

As always - I love my friends on the dis...you are always so helpful!!!

 

[mjkacmom]

Make, bake, and freeze.

 

[clh2]

All done - 4 pans of ziti - in the freezer...

Next up -in the prep for this dinner - a trip to Sam's club for spaghetti sauce ingredients, and the rest of what I need to buy except the salad.

 

[msmayor]

Just remember to add significant bake time if you put it in the oven frozen.

A family-size frozen Stouffer's Lasagne takes 60-90 minutes to cook through.

 

[clh2]

Just remember to add significant bake time if you put it in the oven frozen.

A family-size frozen Stouffer's Lasagne takes 60-90 minutes to cook through.

Yikes...that would be a nightmare...50 HUNGRY athletes...waiting for the ziti to reheat. My daughter would NEVER forgive me for that. I definitely plan on taking that out of the freezer about 36 -48 hours in advance, to thaw in the fridge.