So simple and yet so delicious.
Baked Neapolitan Ziti (you can also use penne instead of ziti if you prefer) is a rich mix of sauce, ziti, Italian sausage (try my fresh Italian sausage), and cheese. Italians tend to cook the ziti, to a simple tomato sauce on top, and eat it before main courses.
But the recipe I have created is mainly for a main dish. Don’t forget to accompany it with a little Chianti or another red wine. It’s also pretty easy to make, especially if you have the sauce prepared ahead of time. I always use the rich Italian tomato sauce from my Botticelli.
Ingredients (6 servings):
* 1 1/4 pounds mild Italian sausage
* 3 cups tomato sauce (Botticelli’s rich Italian tomato sauce)
* 1 pound ziti or penne noodles
* 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese
* 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
* Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Bake the sausage in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 to 40 minutes (until browned). Once cooked, cut each link in half lengthwise and then cut the halves into about 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces. Reserve.
In the meantime
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Boil pasta (use fresh if you can) in a few quarts of salted water for about 8 to 10 minutes (al dente). Well, in a strainer to remove the water. Put the olive oil in the same pan where you cooked the pasta. Add the pasta and stir. Add the tomato sauce and sausage along with the salt and pepper and mix well. Pour everything into a large baking dish and cut slices of mozzarella to cover the top. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the mozzarella has just started to brown.
Bon Appetite.
Jack Botticelli