Baked Ziti Al Telefono

“Al telefono” means “on the telephone” in Italian, and it describes what happens when you pull a forkful of this ziti from the dish: the fresh mozzarella stretches into long, gooey strings, like you’re pulling a phone cord across the table.

This is baked ziti the way it’s done in southern Italy. Al dente ziti gets tossed with tomato sauce, a velvety balsamella (Italian bechamel), cubes of fresh mozzarella, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Divided into individual gratin dishes and crowned with breadcrumbs, it bakes until the top is crusty and the inside is a molten, saucy tangle of pasta and cheese.

Serve it straight from the oven. This one waits for nobody.

Chef Tips

• Cook the ziti just shy of al dente. It finishes cooking in the oven and will turn mushy if it’s fully cooked before baking.
• Refresh the pasta in cold water after draining to stop the cooking and prevent clumping. Drain well before mixing with the sauces.
• Use fresh mozzarella, not the low-moisture bagged kind. Fresh melts into those signature stretchy strings. Cut it into half-inch cubes so it distributes evenly.
• Individual gratin dishes give you more crusty surface area per serving. If you only have one large dish, increase the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes.