Sausage And Pepper Baked Ziti Recipes

ROUND 2 RECIPE - SAUSAGE AND PEPPER BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan lightly with cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. It should be a little less than al dente; it will finish cooking in the oven.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and garlic and saute until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and Italian seasoning and cook for another 5 minutes. Chop the reserved sausage and peppers and add them to the skillet to heat through. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the prepared baking pan. Pour the tomato sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

BAKED ZITI WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven so you want to undercook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position.
• Heat a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Add the cream, ⅓ cup of the pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half the remaining pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.
• Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dish can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months. (If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.) Whether refrigerated or frozen and defrosted, bake, covered tightly with aluminum foil, in a 425°F oven for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout.

SAUSAGE-AND-PEPPER BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• In a deep nonstick 12" skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minute.
• Reduce heat to medium. Discard all but 2 T sausage fat. Add garlic, pepper and onion to sausage in skillet; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 10 minute Stir in whole tomatoes, tomato puree and salt; bring to a boil over medium heat, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minute.
• Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 2 min less than cooking time recommended on label.
• Drain pasta and return to pot; stir in sausage mixture to coat. Add mozzarella and toss to combine. Transfer pasta mixture to an ungreased 9x13" baking dish and spread it out evenly; sprinkle with grated cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, until top browns and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minute Let stand 10 min before serving.