Ingredients

For the Cheese Mixture and Ziti:

• 1 pound ziti rigate
• ¾ cup pickled cherry pepper rings, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons brine
• 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
• 1 ½ cups half-and-half or cream
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or about 2 ounces
• 1 egg
• ½ cup parsley tops, finely chopped (reserve a little for topping cooked ziti)
• A few grates of nutmeg
• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed and meat chopped or pulled into small pieces
• One 12-ounce sack of provolone and mozzarella blend

Creamy Baked Ziti with Chicken and Cherry Peppers

For the Food Processor Marinara:

• One 28-ounce can chopped or whole San Marzano tomatoes
• One 14-ounce can tomato sauce, or 2 cups tomato puree
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2 fat cloves garlic, crushed
• A few leaves of basil, torn
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons hot Italian pickled cherry pepper brine
• 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano, or about half a palmful

Intructions

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Place tomatoes in a food processor and add puree, EVOO, garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, cherry pepper brine and oregano, pulse a few times then puree.
3. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, half-and-half or cream, grated Parm, egg, all but about 2 tablespoons of parsley, and nutmeg, stir then fold in chicken, cherry peppers, cherry pepper brine and dry ziti.
4. .............
5. .............

Source Blog Heree!!!

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