Description
Hearty baked ziti with sausage delivers comfort on a plate, blending robust Italian-American flavors. Melted cheese, savory sausage, and pasta create a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ziti (or penne/rigatoni if ziti unavailable)
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage
- 1 (28 oz/794 g) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz/411 g) can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 1 lb cottage cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, chopped into ¼ inch cubes
- 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 5 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tsps dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for drizzling)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Preparation: Position oven rack to middle and preheat to 375°F. Thoroughly coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pasta Preparation: Boil salted water and cook ziti until slightly firmer than al dente. Drain and lightly toss with olive oil to prevent clumping.
- Sausage Sauce Base: Brown Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess fat, then add minced garlic, oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Incorporate tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
- Sauce Development: Simmer sauce for 10 minutes, stirring periodically. Blend in sugar and fresh basil to enhance flavor complexity.
- Cream Mixture: Whisk heavy cream with cornstarch in the pasta pot, heating until slightly thickened. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, cottage cheese, Parmesan, and mozzarella cubes.
- Combining Components: Merge cream mixture, cheese blend, sausage sauce, and drained pasta. Ensure even distribution of ingredients throughout the mixture.
- Baking Process: Transfer combined mixture to prepared baking dish. Top with remaining red sauce and additional cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Finishing Touch: Remove foil and continue baking for 15-20 minutes until golden and bubbling. Allow dish to rest for 10 minutes to settle flavors.
- Serving: Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Slice and serve piping hot, allowing guests to enjoy the rich, layered flavors.
Notes
- Prevent Pasta Sticking: Drizzle olive oil and gently toss immediately after draining to stop ziti from clumping together.
- Manage Sausage Fat: Thoroughly drain excess fat after browning to keep the dish from becoming greasy and ensure a cleaner flavor profile.
- Control Sauce Consistency: Simmer sauce on low heat and stir frequently to prevent burning and develop rich, deep flavors.
- Foil Trick: Spray underside of foil with nonstick cooking spray to prevent cheese from sticking during baking, ensuring a clean removal and perfect top layer.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 52 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg