Olive Garden's Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno

FOR THE ZITI SAUCE
4 cups tomato sauce
2 cups alfredo sauce
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup mozarella cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons Fontina Cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon garlic pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlice powder

FOR THE ZITI TOPPING
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons romano cheese, grated
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
REMAINING INGREDIENTS
1 lb dry ziti pasta
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

PREPARE THE ZITI SAUCE:
Combine all ingredients for the Ziti Sauce in a large bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

PREPARE THE ZITI TOPPING:
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the first four ingredients for the Ziti Topping.
Add the garlic, oil, and parsley and mix until thoroughly blended. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

WHEN READY TO PREPARE THE WHOLE DISH:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish or large casserole with non-stick spray.
Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
Pour 1/2 cup of prepared ziti sauce into the prepared dish, and spread it evenly over the bottom using a spoon.
When pasta has finished cooking, drain the water and pour the hot pasta into the bowl of remaining sauce. Mix thoroughly; pour into the baking dish.
Spread 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over the pasta and sauce mixture.
Top the mozzarella with the prepared Ziti Topping, spreading evenly.
Place pan on center oven rack and bake until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbling, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove and serve immediately.

So last week my brother and I went to Olive Garden for lunch, and this is what I ordered. I thought that it was absolutely amazing, so I wanted to find a recipe that I could use at home. Luckily I went to www.recipezaar.com and stumbled upon this recipe, and I knew that I had to try it. And I am so glad that I did! It took me a little while to make it, but that was because it was my first time, and I wanted to make sure that it was perfect. I used a little more bread crumbs than it called for to add a little more crunch, and I just eyeballed all of the cheeses instead of measuring them out. The flavors of this dish are absolutely incredible!!! The ingredients were a little costly, but when you figure how many meals we get out of just one dish, it was actually very cheap (we calculated that it is only about $2.00 per serving for Vann and myself...not bad, huh?). Anyway, if you have a little time on your hands to make this meal, I would definitely suggest trying it!