Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Italian Sausage Recipe

You have two options for the ziti: either cook it as you normally would, then drain, or soak it in warm salted water. To soak, place the 1 lb of dried ziti in a large bowl, then cover it with warm water by about an inch. Add salt, just as you would for boiling pasta, and let it sit for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking. Drain it well in a colander before adding to the baking dish.

If your saucepan is large enough, you can combine everything directly in it; otherwise, use a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked (or soaked) ziti, browned sausage meat, half of the chopped Italian parsley, half of the cubed mozzarella, half of the finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and all of the ricotta to the tomato sauce.

Stir gently to combine all the ingredients thoroughly without breaking up the pasta too much. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13" baking dish.