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1. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces, for 7-8 minutes until deeply browned.
450 g Italian sausage, casings removed,
2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
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2. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes until softened, then stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, dried oregano and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
1 piece Yellow onion, finely chopped,
4 clove Garlic,
0.5 tsp Red pepper flakes,
1 tsp Dried oregano,
2 tbsp Tomato paste
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3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, season with black pepper, and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until thickened. Tear in half of the basil leaves and remove from the heat.
2 can Crushed tomatoes,
0.2 cup Fresh basil leaves,
0.5 tsp Black pepper
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4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil with the salt, then cook the ziti for 3 minutes less than the package directions so it is quite firm. Drain without rinsing.
450 g Dried ziti,
1 tbsp Salt (for pasta water)
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5. Stir together the ricotta, egg, half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the remaining basil, torn, in a bowl until combined.
1.5 cup Whole milk ricotta,
1 piece Egg,
0.4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated,
0.2 cup Fresh basil leaves
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6. Toss the drained ziti with the sausage sauce and half of the mozzarella. Spread half into a 23x33 cm (9x13 in) baking dish, dollop with the ricotta mixture, then top with the remaining pasta.
450 g Dried ziti,
1.5 cup Low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
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7. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Cover with foil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes until bubbling and golden.
0.4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated,
1.5 cup Low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
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8. Rest the ziti for 10 minutes before serving so it sets and slices neatly.
