Sometimes the cravings are serious. That’s when To-Die-For Ziti is the best choice. Nothing can satisfy you more than some bouncy noodles covered in a tangy red meat sauce that’s melded together with some melty cheese. It’ll do the trick for sure. Don’t let yourself settle… To-Die-For Ziti is always the way to go when you’re seriously hungry!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ziti
- 1 1/2 pounds spicy or sweet ground Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, optional
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated, divided
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, julienned, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 8 ounces whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Step 1 –Set the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –In a pot of salted, boiling water, cook the ziti to just shy of al dente, according to the package directions. The noodles should be slightly undercooked, as they will finish in the oven.
Step 4 –Drain and return the ziti to the same pot.
Step 5 –In a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, while crumbling with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.
Step 6 –Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate.
Step 7 –Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings from the pan and set it over low heat. If there are not enough drippings remaining, add the olive oil.
Step 8 –Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it is soft but not browned, about 1 minute.
Step 9 –Add the crushed tomatoes, the salt, the sugar, and the red pepper flakes and simmer, about 10 minutes.
Step 10 –Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the Pecorino Romano, the cooked sausage, and 1/3 cup of the basil to the tomato mixture and stir until it is evenly combined.
Step 11 –Carefully pour the sauce into the pot filled with the cooked pasta and gently stir to combine.
Step 12 –Spoon 1/2 of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with 1/2 of the mozzarella and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the Pecorino Romano.
Step 13 –Repeat the layers once, starting with the remaining pasta mixture and ending with the remaining Pecorino Romano.
Step 14 –Bake the ziti until the cheese has melted and browned, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 15 –Serve the ziti garnished with the extra basil.
