Cheesy Sausage Ziti Pasta

Prep:

Boil your ziti in heavily salted water until it's about 2 minutes less than al dente. It's going to finish cooking once it goes back into the sauce, so pulling it early keeps it from turning mushy by the time everything comes together. Save some of that pasta water before you drain it, since you'll need it later to deglaze the pan and loosen up the sauce if it gets too thick.

While the pasta is going, finely chop the garlic and half an onion and set them aside so they're ready to go.

Cooking:

Heat a pan to medium and go in with your ground Italian sausage cut into 1/2 to 1 inch chunks. Keeping the sausage in bigger pieces instead of crumbling it down gives you these little makeshift meatballs throughout the dish, and it's just a nicer bite than tiny mince scattered everywhere. Let the sausage sear and build real color on each side, and don't rush it. Also don't do what I did and walk away too long, because these chunks will burn fast if the heat's too high or you're not paying attention.

Once the sausage is fully cooked, remove it from the pan and go in with the chopped onion and garlic. Cook until the onion turns translucent, then add in the tomato paste and let it cook down for a minute or two to deepen the flavor. Use a splash of that reserved pasta water to deglaze the pan and pull up any browned bits stuck to the bottom, since that's where a lot of the flavor is hiding.

Grab your can of whole peeled tomatoes and add them to the pan. Use your spatula to press and break the tomatoes down as they cook, working toward a rustic but mostly smooth consistency. If you prefer a smoother sauce you can blend the tomatoes instead, just know that adds an extra step and a little more time. Let the tomatoes simmer and reduce a bit before you season them. Reducing first keeps the sauce from tasting bitter or underdeveloped, since tomatoes need that time on the heat to really break down and mellow out.

Once it's reduced, season with the Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, salt, and sugar. Add the sugar in slowly, tasting as you go, since it's there to balance out the acidity in the tomatoes rather than make the sauce sweet. Everyone's preference is a little different, so start with a teaspoon and add more only if the tomatoes still taste sharp.

Add the sausage back into the sauce and stir to combine, then go in with the ziti. Pour in the reserved pasta water and toss everything together, letting the sauce thicken slightly and cling to the noodles as it heats through.

Sprinkle a generous layer of mozzarella over the top and cover the pan with a lid. Let it sit until the cheese is fully melted before you take the lid off. Uncovering too early leaves you with clumps of unmelted cheese instead of that smooth, stretchy finish you want.

Plate it up with a little parmesan on top, and dinner is ready in 30 minutes.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

-Cook your ziti about 2 minutes under al dente. It finishes cooking once it goes back into the sauce, so pulling it early keeps the texture right instead of ending up overcooked and soft.

-Cut the sausage into 1/2 to 1 inch chunks instead of crumbling it. Those bigger pieces act almost like little meatballs throughout the dish, and it makes for a much more satisfying bite than small mince.

-Watch the sausage closely while it sears. Bigger chunks can go from perfectly browned to burnt fast if you walk away or the heat is too high.

-Let the tomatoes simmer and reduce before you season them. Adding seasoning too early means the sauce hasn't had time to break down and mellow out, and it can taste more bitter and less developed.

-You can blend the tomatoes if you want a smoother sauce, but pressing and breaking them down with a spatula gives you a rustic texture with a lot less effort and time.

-Add the sugar slowly and taste as you go. It's there to round out the acidity in the tomatoes, not to make the dish sweet, so a teaspoon at a time is the move until it tastes right to you.

-Always save some pasta water before draining. It comes in clutch for deglazing the pan and for loosening up the sauce later if it gets too thick.

-Let the mozzarella melt completely under the lid before uncovering. Taking the lid off too soon leaves you with unmelted clumps instead of that smooth, even melt across the top.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS:

-Garlic bread or a crusty baguette is perfect for soaking up any extra sauce left in the bowl.

-A simple side salad with a light vinaigrette adds some freshness and cuts through the richness of the cheese and sausage.

-Roasted vegetables like broccoli or zucchini round out the plate if you want something a little more balanced.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Yes, penne, rigatoni, or shells would all work well here since they hold onto the chunky sauce nicely. Just keep an eye on your cook time since different shapes vary slightly in how long they take to cook.

Do I have to use San Marzano tomatoes?

San Marzano tomatoes are worth using if you can find them since they tend to be less acidic and break down into a really nice sauce, but any good quality whole peeled tomatoes will work fine.

Why does the recipe call for sugar in a savory dish?

The sugar isn't there to sweeten the dish, it's there to balance out the natural acidity in the tomatoes. Adding it slowly and tasting as you go helps you land on a sauce that tastes rounded instead of sharp or overly tangy.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, this reheats really well. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and reheat it on the stove over low heat with a splash of water or reserved pasta water if it needs loosening up.

What if I don't have pasta water saved?

Regular water works in a pinch, but pasta water has some starch in it that helps the sauce thicken and cling to the noodles a little better. If you forget to save it, just add a splash of regular water and let the sauce reduce a bit longer to compensate.