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Baked Ziti with Sausage

Source of Recipe

"Once Upon A Chef: Weeknight/Weekend" by Jennifer Segal


Recipe Introduction

"This dish is a major family-pleaser. Loaded with Italian sausage, which packs a ton of flavor, it's similar to lasagna but without the fuss; it's easy enough for a weeknight but also special enough for company; and it makes a great prep-ahead potluck dish. To save time, go ahead and use pre-shredded mozzarella cheese from a bag; just be sure it's made from whole milk (low-fat won't taste nearly as good)."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 pound ziti noodles
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds spicy or sweet bulk Italian sausage
â—¦ 4 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
â—¦ 1 cup heavy cream
â—¦ ½ cup finely grated pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
â—¦ â…“ cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
â—¦ 2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese


Recipe

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven, so you want to undercook it just a bit.) Drain and put the pasta back into the pot.

Preheat the oven to 425° F and set the oven rack in the middle position.

Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Add the cream, â…“ cup of the pecorino Romano, the cooked sausage, and the basil, if using, to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half the shredded mozzarella and half the remaining pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and pecorino Romano.

Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 8 to 10