More than meets the eye

I was a little unsure when I first saw this recipe (recommended by another Cooking Light fan!) because the ingredient list is so basic.  I’m glad I gave it a shot though, it is delicious and will definitely replace our old “go-to” baked ziti recipe.  It fills a 9×13 pan, we’ll be eating it for lunch all week!  So glad I don’t have to take a boring old turkey sandwich for lunch tomorrow!

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cheese (from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:

1 (1-pound) package uncooked ziti (or any short tube-shaped pasta, I used rigatoni)
1 pound hot turkey Italian sausage (I buy the already ground Johnsonville sausage)
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
 Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta, and set aside.

Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture, and basil. Place half of the pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Repeat layers. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

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