Baked Ziti

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 30 minutes
• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 pound ziti pasta (or penne pasta, 453.592 grams)

1 pound Italian sausage (casings removed, 453.592 grams)

1 medium yellow onion (diced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

2 teaspoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons dried basil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

24 ounces spaghetti sauce (709.765 ml)

8 ounces tomato sauce (236.588 ml)

15 ounces full fat ricotta cheese (425.243 grams)

16 ounces shredded mozzarella (shredded, 453.592 grams)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese (50 grams)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Boil water to cook your ziti. Once at a roaring boil, pour in the dry pasta and add a teaspoon of kosher salt. No need to measure the salt, just eyeball it. Set the time for 2 minutes less than the instructions on the package say.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and break it up. Once browned, add in the onion, garlic, and seasonings and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Drain the pasta when done and return to the pot you cooked it in. Add in the cooked meat with the spices and pan drippings. Add in the spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce.

Pour half of the pasta and meat mixture into the bottom of the pan. Add the ricotta cheese on top, in small scoops over the pasta. Then add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.

Add the remaining pasta mixture. Top with the remaining parmesan cheese and the remaining mozarealla cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1.75 cups
• Calories: 716 kcal
• Total Fat: 34 g
• Saturated Fat: 17 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
• Cholesterol: 120 mg
• Sodium: 1306 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 60 g
• Dietary Fiber: 6 g
• Total Sugars: 9 g
• Protein: 42 g