Baked Ziti With Special Tomato Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr 8 mins Preparation Time: 18 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 lb dried ziti pasta
• kosher salt
• 3 1/2 cups quick tomato sauce
• 1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, half cut into 1/2-inch cubes and half thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lb sweet italian sausage, casing removed and crumbled
• 1/2 lb hot italian sausage, casing removed and crumbled
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 1/2 cups canned tomatoes (whole, peeled in puree & roughly chopped)
• italian seasoning
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grape jelly (unsweetened) or 1/2 cup currant jelly (unsweetened)

Recipe

• 1 quick tomato sauce:
• 2 make this first; heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
• 3 cook the sausages until begining to brown, about 3 minutes.
• 4 add the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes more.
• 5 add the tomatoes, thyme and jelly or preserves and bring to a boil.
• 6 lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
• 7 remove and sicard the sprig of thyme.
• 8 stir in the seasoning and season with pepper, to taste.
• 9 use now or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 dayse or freeze up to 2 months. the yield is 5 cups.
• 10 ziti:.
• 11 preheat oven to 400ºf.
• 12 cook the ziti according to pkg directions.
• 13 drain.
• 14 toss the cooked pasta with the sauce, cubed mozzarella, half of the parmesan cheese, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
• 15 transfer the pasta to an oiled 9x13" baking dish.
• 16 cover the top of the pasta with the sliced mozzarella, and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan.
• 17 bake until lightly browned and hot, about 30 minutes.
• 18 serve at once.