Olive Garden is clearly one of my favorite restaurants and this Stuffed Ziti Fritta is my favorite appetizer! Cheese filled noodles fried and dipped in alfredo & marinara - yum!
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for about 12 minutes (1-2 min less than box directions).
Drain and rinse the noodles to cool them down and set aside.
Make the cheese filling
While pasta is cooking, mix together ricotta cheese, parmesan, romano, cream cheese, shredded mozzarella and chopped basil until mixed together
Place in a ziplock bag and set inside refrigerator
Stuffing & Breading the Noodles
In one bowl, combine the beaten eggs with the Italian seasoning. In another bowl, combine the Italian breadcrumbs with parmesan cheese.
Remove the cheese mixture from the refrigerator. Snip the very end of the ziploc bag (or use a piping tool) and squeeze the cheese mixture into the noodles. Set each stuffed noodle on a cutting board.
Roll each stuffed noodle in the egg wash and then move to the breadcrumb mix and coat thoroughly. Set noodles back on cutting board.
Frying the Pasta in Oil
Preheat the oil to 375 degrees F - bubbles will start to form - if you sprinkle a drop of water in the oil - it will pop
Fry stuffed & breaded noodles for about 3 minutes or until they become dark golden brown - flipping halfway through. You'll want to keep them a couple inches apart - do not crowd them.
Frying the Pasta in the Air Fryer
Lay out breaded pasta tubes in air fryer so they are not touching
Spritz generously with olive oil spray
Air fry at 375 for 5 minutes - flipping halfway through. Spritz again with olive oil when you flip.
Serving the Ziti Fritta
Serve with sides of alfredo and marina for dipping
Notes
You can use Ziti or Rigatoni - just get the one with the largest opening. I found Rigatoni at the grocery store that worked great.
Be sure to soften the cream cheese so it mixes together more easily.