Baked ziti with four kinds of cheese and Italian sausage is an excellent party dish.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr20 minutesmins
Servings: 8servings
Calories: 701kcal
Author: Lucy Brewer
Ingredients
Sauce
2tablespoonsolive oil
1cupfinely chopped onion
4clovesgarlic, finely minced
1lb.mild or sweet Italian sausage
1 14-oz.can crushed tomatoes
1 14-oz.can diced tomatoes, undrained
½cupred wine, (Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Chianti will do)
2tablespoonsItalian seasoning
1teaspoongranulated sugar
Salt and pepper
Cheese
1lb.mozzarella, cubed and shredded
½cupgrated Pecorino Romano
½cupgrated Parmesan
Other ingredients
¼cupheavy cream
1lb.ziti noodles
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add onion and saute for one minute. Cut open sausage casings and crumble sausage into skillet. Add garlic. Cook until sausage is browned.
Add tomatoes, wine, sugar, and seasonings. Salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer for thirty minutes.
In a large pot, prepare water to boil for ziti. Boil ziti for slightly less than time indicated for al dente. You want the noodles to finish cooking in the sauce in the oven. Drain the noodles, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water.
Add ziti noodles, 1/4 cup heavy cream, reserved pasta water, cubed mozzarella, and all of the pecorino to the sauce.
Lightly grease a deep 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour sauce with noodles into dish and top with the sliced mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 375 for about twenty minutes, until cheese is melted and just barely turning brown around the edges. Do not overbake or cheese will get rubbery.