# Baked Ziti Night: IDDSI Level 6 recipe

Canonical: [https://followyourswallow.com/recipes/baked-ziti-level-6](https://followyourswallow.com/recipes/baked-ziti-level-6)

Level 6: Soft & Bite-Sized | 40 min | Serves 1 + the family

## Family version

- Ziti with sausage
- Marinara & ricotta
- Browned mozzarella top

## Level 6 ingredients

- 120 g ziti, cooked very soft
- 150 ml smooth marinara
- 60 g ricotta
- 40 g ground beef or skinless sausage meat, fully tender
- 30 g mozzarella, melted in (not browned)

## Method

1. Cook the pasta well past al dente. Each piece should squash under a fork without springing back.
2. Use ground meat or squeeze sausage from its casing. Casings are chewy and fail Level 6.
3. Cut ziti to 1.5 cm pieces and fold through plenty of marinara and ricotta so every piece is moist.
4. Take the Level 6 portion before the casserole bakes; melted-in cheese is fine, but the browned, chewy top crust is not.
5. Fork pressure test pasta and meat separately before serving.

## Equipment

Fork for testing

## Practical tip

Pasta is forgiving at Level 6 if you overcook it on purpose. 'ruined' by family standards is exactly right.

## Before serving

Run the appropriate IDDSI fork and spoon tests on the finished serving. Recipes guide the preparation; only testing confirms how the serving behaves.

## Safety

Use only the food and drink levels prescribed by the person's qualified clinician. Test the actual serving before it is eaten or drunk.