Baked Ziti with Spinach and Sausage
Ingredients
| 3 | garlic cloves |
| 2 ozs | spinach |
| 3⁄4 tsp | salt |
| 1⁄8 tsp | red pepper flakes |
| 1⁄2 tsp | sugar |
| 6 ozs | whole-milk mozzarella cheese |
| 2 ozs | Parmesan cheese |
| fresh basil | |
| 12 ozs | ziti |
| 8 ozs | whole-milk ricotta cheese |
| 16 ozs | Italian sausage |
| Fresh oregano | |
| 28 ozs | tomato sauce |
| 14.5 ozs | diced tomato |
Steps
- Mince garlic. Mince 1.5 teaspoons oregano. Chop spinach coarse.
- Cook sausage in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking meat into 1⁄2 inch pieces, until lightly browned (about 5 minutes). Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes and their juice, salt, sugar, pepper flakes, and oregano and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened (about 10 minutes).
- While sauce cooks, cut mozzarella into 1⁄4 inch pieces (1.5 cups). Grate parmesan (1 cup). Chop 4 tablespoons basil. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from boiler element and heat broiler.
- Stir pasta, 2 cups water and 2 tablespoons basil into pot, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer vigorously, stirring often, until pasta is still very firm, but just starting to soften (6-8 minutes).
- Off heat, stir in spinach, 3⁄4 cups mozzarella, and 1⁄2 cup parmesan. Dollop surface of pasta evenly with ricotta. Top with remaining 3⁄4 cups mozzarella and 1⁄2 cup parmesan.
- Broil ziti until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, 5-7 minutes. Transfer pot to wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.