Ultimate Three-Cheese Baked Ziti with Flavorful Italian Sausage

Ingredients

• A light mist of nonstick cooking spray
• A package of shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
• A package of shredded blend of Italian cheeses (8 ounces)
• A package of ziti pasta (16 ounces)
• Olive oil (around 3 tablespoons or more to taste)
• Bulk Italian sausage (1 pound)
• Baking soda (about ¼ teaspoon)
• Diced onion (1 cup)
• Diced garlic cloves (3)
• Lower-sodium pasta sauce (5 cups)
• Sliced black olives (1/3 cup)
• Whole fennel seeds (1 tablespoon)
• Italian seasoning (2 teaspoons)
• Anchovy paste (1 teaspoon)
• Ground black pepper (1/2 teaspoon)
• Crushed red pepper flakes (1/4 teaspoon)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (3 tablespoons)

Step 1

To begin, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and generously spray a 4-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick spray. In a mixing bowl, combine a delightful blend of mozzarella and Italian cheeses, then chill the mixture in the refrigerator for a bit.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring lightly salted water to a boil and cook the ziti until it's just tender but still has a delightful bite to it, which usually takes about 11 minutes. Once cooked, drain the ziti well.

Step 3

Simultaneously, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the hot pan and sprinkle a touch of baking soda over it for extra tenderness. Add in the onion and garlic, breaking up any clumps as you cook until the sausage is beautifully browned and crumbly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remember to pour off any excess grease.

Step 4

Next, stir in the pasta sauce, olives, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, anchovy paste, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Feel free to drizzle in a bit more oil if you like and keep stirring as the mixture gently simmers and thickens, usually for about 5 to 10 minutes. Once done, remove from heat and fold in the cooked ziti.

Step 5

Now, layer half of the saucy ziti into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle half of the cheese blend evenly over the top. Carefully spoon the remaining ziti over the cheese without disturbing the layers beneath; a bit of exposed ziti is fine as it will crisp up beautifully during baking. Finally, sprinkle the rest of the cheese blend over the ziti and generously dust Parmesan across the surface.

Step 6

Bake the dish uncovered in the preheated oven until it's bubbly and irresistible, which typically takes around 20 to 25 minutes. Once out of the oven, allow it to rest for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld together perfectly.