Ingredients
- 1 lb ground meat (beef, or turkey)
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage (I like to mix sweet and hot)
- 1 small red pepper (diced small)
- 1 small green pepper (diced small)
- 1 small yellow onion (diced small)
- 8 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 25oz jar of pasta sauce (any brand we will do! We will hook it up!)
- 1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsps salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsps garlic powder
- 1 tsps onion powder
- 2 tsps italian seasoning
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsps sugar
- 2 tbsps basil (chopped)
- 1 box ziti pasta
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 tsps salt
- 1 tsps black pepper
- 2 tsps garlic powder
- 2 tbsps chopped basil
- 3 cups mozarella cheese (shredded and divided)
Directions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- 2
Cook the ziti pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- 3
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook Italian sausage and ground beef until browned and cooked through. Add diced onions, peppers, and garlic.
- 4
After browning and cooking the meat, add crushed tomatoes, pasta sauce, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, basil, spices and sugar. Stir everything to combine and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste your sauce. If needed, add additional salt.
- 5
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked ziti pasta, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of your shredded mozzarella cheese, and spices. Mix well. Spoon 3-4 spoonfuls of meat sauce into the mixture and stir. Your ziti mixture should be creamy and fully coated. Make sure to leave pasta sauce for layering.
- 6
Spoon a thin layer of the meat sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish.
- 7
Add half of the ziti mixture to the dish on top of the meat sauce. Spread it out evenly. Add a thin layer of cheese on top.
- 8
Spoon another layer of meat sauce on top of the ziti mixture, then sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover the ziti and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Broil at the end uncovered for a golden cheese top finish. Be careful not to burn!
- 9
Remove from the oven and let the ziti cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!