Sausage and Spinach Baked Ziti

01Method

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain, setting aside ½ cup of the cooking water.

3. 3

   While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into pieces, until no pink remains, about 5–7 minutes.

4. 4

   Set aside about ⅓ cup of the crushed tomatoes, then add the rest to the skillet with the sausage. Mix in the garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and spinach. Let everything simmer together for 10 minutes.

5. 5

   In a separate bowl, stir together the ricotta, heavy cream, half of the cubed mozzarella, half of the Parmesan, and the garlic granules. Season with salt.

6. 6

   Combine the sausage mixture and the ricotta mixture with the drained pasta and toss to coat. If the mixture is too thick, loosen it with the reserved pasta water, adding a couple of tablespoons at a time.

7. 7

   Spread the reserved crushed tomatoes across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer in half the pasta mixture, then scatter over half of the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Add the rest of the pasta and finish with the remaining cheeses.

8. 8

   Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is lightly golden and the pasta is heated through, 25–30 minutes. Top with fresh basil before serving.