Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage and Three Cheeses

Ingredients

• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, or more to taste
• 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 5 cups lower-sodium pasta sauce
• 1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Step 1

Heat your oven to 375°F and lightly spray a 4-quart baking dish with nonstick spray. In a bowl, mix together the mozzarella and Italian blend cheeses, then pop it into the fridge to keep the cheese fresh until you need it.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the ziti. Cook it until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite—about 11 minutes should do. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

Step 3

While the pasta cooks, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Sprinkle the baking soda over the sausage, then toss in the onion and garlic. Keep stirring and breaking up any clumps until everything is nicely browned and crumbly, which should take around 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.

Step 4

Stir in the pasta sauce, olives, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, anchovy paste, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. If you like, add up to 3 more tablespoons of oil. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in the cooked ziti.

Step 5

Spoon half of the sauced pasta into your prepared baking dish and sprinkle half of the cheese mixture over it. Carefully add the remaining ziti on top—don’t worry if some pieces peek through; they’ll get wonderfully browned in the oven. Finish with the rest of the cheese and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan.

Step 6

Bake everything uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until it’s bubbly and golden on top. Let it rest for about 15 minutes before digging in—this helps it set and makes serving easier.