Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti:

You will need:

• 1 pound dried ziti pasta
  
• 1 pound swwet or spicy italian sausage, casing removed and crumbled( i use half a pkg of both kinds.
  
• 1/4 medium onion
  
• 3 gloves of garlic
  
• 3 1/2 cups whole, peeled. canned tomatoes in puree (28oz can), roughly chopped ( I puree in a food processor)
  
• Spring fresh thyme
  
• Spring fresh basil
  
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt + some
  
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, half cut into 1/2 inch cubes and half thinly sliced
  
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
  
• 1/2 tsp. pepper+ some
  
• Pinch red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously, and boil the pasta until al dente, tender but still slightly firm. Drain. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook sausage until beginning to brown. the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the salt and season with pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the marinara sauce, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan,
and the cubed mozzarella pieces. Season with the black pepper and red pepper to taste, and mix until well combined. Transfer the pasta to an oiled 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Cover the top of the pasta with the sliced mozzarella, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake until lightly browned and hot, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.