Baked Ziti W/italian Suasage

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 2 lbs penne rigate or ziti pasta
• 2 lbs part-skim ricotta cheese
• 16 ounces italian cheese blend or 16 ounces mozzarella cheese
• 4 -6 ounces grated parmesan cheese
• 7 garlic clove, minced
• 1 -2 lb italian sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces (mild or spicy)
• olive oil
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes seasoned with basil garlic & oregano (or regular and you add the spices)
• 29 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 3/4-1 cup water
• salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder
• 1 can tomato soup, plus water (a can-full)
• 2 large fresh tomatoes, crushed and cored
• 1/2-1 cup wine
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, sifted and mixed well with the can of water
• salt

Recipe

• 1 pre heat the oven to 375 and line 2 casserole dishes with foil. set aside.
• 2 fry the garlic in a tbsp of oil until lightly colored, add the sausage and cook until brown. meanwhile, cook the pasta accordingly (until al dente or just cooked); drain and run a bit of oil over it to keep from sticking. do not rinse.
• 3 remove the sausage with a slotted spoon (removing bits of garlic is fine too, as it is all going to the same place) and add all of the ingredients from section #3 to the hot pan. bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
• 4 put the hot ziti and ricotta into a very large bowl and mix well with a lg. spoon (or go rambo-tough and just use your hands). add the sec #3 tomato sauce, the parmesean, and the sausage;mix well. pour into the casserole dish/dishes going by one layer ziti-mix, one layer italian or mozzarella cheese (be sure to save enough to coat the tops of the pasta generously).
• 5 put into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly, at 375.
• 6 in the meantime, in the same pan as used for sec#3 tomato sauce; add all of the ingredients from sec#4 and bring to a boil, pour over the baked ziti and serve warm with a side salad or garlic bread.