This easy baked ziti is made in one skillet on the stovetop, then moved to the oven for a quick bake, which melts the cheese. It’s the perfect weeknight meal that tastes like you’ve spent all day cooking. The addition of the fresh tomatoes adds a vibrancy that you can’t get with just canned tomatoes. Don’t skip the cook time when reducing the tomato sauce though. If you don’t reduce it until it’s thick (it only takes 10 minutes) your resulting pasta will be soggy and the sauce too thin.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword easy, fast, one skillet, pasta, tomato, weeknight meal
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 4
Calories 1210kcal
Author Irvin
Equipment
Oven-proof 12-inch skillet or sauté pan
Ingredients
3/4poundhot Italian sausagemild if sensitive to heat
6clovesgarlicminced, about 3 tablespoons
1small red or yellow onionchopped, about 3/4 cup
1/2poundtomatoeschopped, about 1 1/4 cups
14 1/2ouncesdiced canned tomatoes
8ouncescanned tomato sauce
6ouncestomato paste
2teaspoondried basil
1teaspoondried oregano
1teaspoonchili flakesoptional
3cupswater
1/2cupred wine
16ouncesziti noodlesor other tube pasta like penne or rigatoni
16ouncescottage cheese
1/2cupgrated Parmesan cheese
8ouncesmozzarellacubed into 1/2 inch-pieces
1tablespoonchopped fresh basil for garnishoptional
Instructions
Place the sausage in a large 12-inch wide oven-proof saute pan that is at least 2-inches deep. Cook on high heat, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon. Once the sausage has browned completely on all sides, add the garlic and red onions. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions start to soften and turn a bit translucent.
Add the chopped fresh tomato, canned chopped tomato, tomato sauce and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally.
Simmer for 10 minutes. You want the sauce to thicken into pasta sauce in the end. While the sauce is reducing, preheat the oven to 450°F.
Add the water and the red wine to the pan along with the pasta. Stir together and cook over medium heat uncovered, stirring frequently, until the pasta is firm and not QUITE cooked through. You want it firmer than al dente. Nibble on a pasta piece to check. You want it to be able to bite into it, but still be too firm to serve (the pasta will continue to cook in the oven). This usually take anywhere from 8 to 15 minutes depending on the pasta.
Stir in the cottage cheese and the parmesan cheese.
Sprinkle the cubed mozzarella over the top of the pan. Place in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the mozzarella cheese has melted.
Sprinkle top with chopped basil leaves if using, and serve warm.