Easy Baked Ziti w/ Spicy Sausage

Easy Baked Ziti with Spicy Sausage

My mother is Italian and I grew up eating a lot of pasta, so it's really no surprise that I cook a lot of pasta dishes for my family.  I love baked ziti because it has most of the flavors of lasagna with half of the work, it is great leftover, and it always reminds me of home.  My husband refers to it as my "default meal"... when I'm running out of dinner options, I can usually still make some ziti.

You don't have to use spicy sausage for this recipe, you can substitute any Italian sausage that you like.  However, if you want to give the spicy kind a try, this is a great dish for it, as the multiple cheeses help to balance out the heat of the sausage.

I got the sausage for this dish at the Story City Locker and it was delicious!  However, if you can't make it to Story City, you can use any good Italian sausage.  You also do not have to limit your pasta choice to only ziti - you can use radiatori, fusilli, penne, or anything you have on hand that will catch some cheese and sauce.  This is an awesome meal to make ahead and stick in the freezer for a lazy day!

What You Need;

 1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb spicy Italian sausage

1 box/bag uncooked ziti pasta

salt

3 cups marinara sauce (I use my own sauce, but you can use your favorite brand)

1 tub (15 oz) whole milk or part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup fresh mozzarella (mozz pearls or larger balls cut into cubes)

1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

fresh basil (for garnish)

Place a large pot of water over high heat on the stove.  When water boils, add a generous amount (1-2 tsp) of salt, then stir in pasta and cook according to package instructions.  *Make sure to check your pasta as it cooks and drain when it is al-dente.  Overcooked pasta is no good!  When pasta is drained, transfer it to a large baking dish and set aside.

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil over medium-high in a large skillet.  Add sausage and 2 tbsp marinara sauce.  As sausage cooks, stir often and break it apart into smaller chunks as much as possible. When the sausage is fully cooked, remove from heat.  Use a slotted spoon to drain any fat/grease from the sausage and transfer to the baking dish with cooked pasta.

To the baking dish, also add the cubed mozzarella and toss with the pasta and sausage.  Add the ricotta to the top in dollops with a tablespoon.  When you have added all of the ricotta, pour remaining sauce evenly over the top of your mixture and finish by sprinkling with the grated Romano cheese.

 At this point you can either cover the dish and place it in the fridge or freezer to bake later, or heat your oven and bake now.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees and allow ziti to come to room temperature before baking if it was refrigerated or frozen.  Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes until sauce is bubbly.  Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves torn into small pieces and enjoy!