8 ziti recipes

With a true Italian taste, this savory dish is perfect for a romantic dinner for two at home.

Creamy baked ziti without tomato sauce, loaded with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan. Garlicky cheese filling bakes into golden, bubbling comfort food in just 40 minutes.

City chicken made with cubed pork and beef, breaded with saltines and poultry seasoning, then braised in chicken broth. A Depression-era Midwestern classic with no actual chicken.

City Slicker mocktail: pineapple juice and ginger ale over ice with a dash of ground ginger. A bright, bubbly, non-alcoholic drink ready in under a minute.

City chicken skewers (mock chicken) made with ground turkey and pork meatballs on bamboo skewers, breaded in corn flake crumbs, and baked in chicken gravy. A Rust Belt regional comfort classic.

Sausage and beef party rye appetizers with melted Velveeta, oregano, and hot sauce. A make-ahead freezer appetizer that broils up bubbly and hot straight from the freezer.

NYC-style baked hot dogs smothered in a tangy onion sauce made with ketchup, apple cider vinegar, dry mustard, and paprika. Foot-long franks with a Coney Island vibe.

Traditional Mexican barbacoa: whole lamb slow-roasted in a maguey leaf-lined earth pit for hours. This ancient communal feast from Mexico City feeds 24 and delivers smoky, fall-apart tender meat like nothing else.