Easy Baked Ziti

This is a household favorite! And better yet, easy to make!  I love a one dish dinner, just add a loaf of crunchy bread and a salad and your meal is complete!

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 pound Ziti Pasta

1 Pound Italian Sausage (ground) choose mild or hot based on your preference 

3 & 1/2 Cups Marinara Sauce

3 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1 inch cubes and then slice in half (so you have thin pieces)

Salt (1 tsp to boil in water)

Fresh Black Pepper (1 tsp)

WHAT YOU DO:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Boil salted water and cook pasta until al dente (tender but still slightly firm) drain and place in a large bowl, allowing to cool for a few minutes.

Cook sausage in a skillet until no longer pink, drain off any fat and add to bowl with pasta.

Add the marinara, 1 cup of mozzarella, the mozzarella cheese cubes and season with black pepper

Toss everything in the bowl together until combined well

Transfer pasta mixture to a 9×13 baking dish (oiled or sprayed with cooking spray)

Add remaining mozzarella evenly over pasta

Bake, uncovered, about 30 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and slightly browned on top

Enjoy!