With a major holiday right around the corner, I am always looking for turkey free recipes that are delicious, easy to make and good for a crowd. This one for “Baked Ziti with Tomato, Mozzarella & Sausage” totally fits the bill. It’s super simple to prepare, what I like to call a “One Pan Meal”. It’s decadent, making it a total crowd pleaser, but it’s not actually bad for you so, no chef guilt. And it can be made ahead of time. Just put it in the fridge or the freezer, and then throw in the oven right before serving. Obviously, if you freeze it, you’ll need to defrost it before cooking, but in short, this recipe is basically perfect. Serve it with a salad of bitter greens and radicchio dressed with the World’s Best Salad Dressing, some fresh bread et voilá, dinner is served.
A personal note: This recipe calls for sweet Italian pork sausage. Sadly, pork and I are no longer friends. I love it. It does not love me as anyone who was present for my 50th can attest. So, I substitute either sweet Italian turkey or chicken sausage depending on what’s available. It doesn’t make for quite as rich a flavor, but it’s still scrumptious and frankly, probably a little better for your health.
Baked Ziti with Tomato, Mozzarella & Sausage
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3/4 lb sweet Italian pork sausage raw, removed from it's casings and crumbled
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 35 oz can whole plum tomatoes chopped with their juice
- 1/4 cup chopped, fresh marjoram or oregano from about 6 sprigs
- 1 cup fresh ricotta
- 1 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
- Pinch nutmeg preferably freshly grated
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 lb ziti
- 1/2 lb fresh mozzarella cut into small cubes
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425˚. Lightly oil a large, shallow baking dish or roasting pan. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- In a large skillet, heat 2T of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the crumbled sausage and cook until the sausage starts to brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add the red wine and let it boil until it's almost gone. Add the tomatoes with all of their juices and cook at a lively simmer for about 10 minutes. You want the sauce to thicken slightly. Turn off the heat, then add the marjoram or oregano, taste and add more salt or pepper if necessary.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, half of the grated pecorino, the nutmeg and the Italian parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, follow the instructions on the pasta package to cook the ziti al dente. Drain well and toss it with the ricotta mixture until well coated. Add the sausage sauce and mix again. Add the cubed mozzarella and toss gently. Pour the pasta into your dish and sprinkle with the remaining pecorino.
- Bake uncovered until lightly browned and bubbling. About 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
