So simple and so delicious.

Neapolitan baked 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 ziti, pour a simple tomato sauce on top, and eat it before main dishes.

But the recipe I have created is primarily for a main dish. Don’t forget a little Chianti or another red wine with it. It’s pretty easy to make too, especially if you have the sauce made ahead of time. I always use my Botticelli’s rich Italian tomato sauce.

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 golden brown). Once cooked, cut each link in half lengthwise and then cut the halves into about 1/4 to 1/2 inch chunks. Reservation.

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). Pour into a colander to remove the water. Place the olive oil in the same skillet in which 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 slice mozzarella to coat the top. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the mozzarella has started to brown.

Enjoy.

Jack Botticelli