Ziti the Moment hero image

Ziti the Moment

Basil-Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage and Tomato Ragu

1 hour 15 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerItalian
Herb's take

Inspired by classic Italian comfort, this casserole turns simple ingredients into a bubbling masterpiece. You’ll nail the art of making a proper tomato ragu and discover why basil should be added at just the right time.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. 02
    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ziti until just shy of al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  3. 03
    While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  4. 04
    Add sausage to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes.
  5. 05
    Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking 1 minute until fragrant.
  6. 06
    Pour in whole peeled tomatoes with their juices. Crush tomatoes by hand or with a spoon until broken up. Simmer sauce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. 07
    Season with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and stir in half the basil, torn into pieces.
  8. 08
    In a large bowl, combine drained ziti, sausage-tomato sauce, ricotta, and half the mozzarella. Fold everything together gently.
  9. 09
    Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
  10. 10
    Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbling.
  11. 11
    Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Top with remaining fresh basil before serving.

Want your own batch?

I don't run a recipe search engine—I invent dishes from what you tell me. Toss me some ingredients on the home page.