Baked Ziti with Spicy Italian Sausage

Cooking classical Italian dishes is not only fun and rewarding but also provide a healthy and quick alternate to fast-food dinning. Lots of people are intimidated by Italian cuisine but the reality is that most of the classic dishes of Italy are not only simple to make but also very filling and full of great tastes and flavor. To start making our Baked Ziti and Italian Sausage you will first need the following ingredients:

26 ounces Classic Spaghetti Sauce (feeds 3-4)
1/3 LB Italian Sausage ( ground or linked)
2 TBSP ground Red Pepper
2 TBSP Italian Seasoning
2-4 ounces Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Black Pepper
1 TBSP minced Garlic (Garlic Salt will also work)
10 ounces Penne Ziti (can substitute Rigatoni or any similar pasta)
Small can of Black Olives sliced
1 cup sliced Mozzarella or grated Parmesan

Once you have assembled all of your ingredients the cooking fun can begin. Approximated preparation and cooking time for this meal is 15-25 minutes from start to having a hot meal plated. I recommend starting by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.(this meal can also be served without baking for an approximated cooking time of 15 minutes) As your oven begins to warm, prepare a medium size skillet on your stove top at medium temperature. Coat the interior of this skillet with your olive oil, this is also a good time to start boiling your water for your pasta. Once the skillet is heated up add your Italian sausage, if you are using ground then the meat can be cooked in the same manner that taco meat or spaghetti meat is prepared.

I prefer to use sausage links so that I can simply slice the links into small round pieces and if I am serving a smaller portion I will same the extra links in the fridge for a future dish. Remember that when you add your pasta you can achieve a quicker cook time and add taste by adding a pinch of salt and dash of olive oil to your boiling water. Stirring the pasta as it cooks will also help to cook it evenly and ensure the pasta will not stick. Most ziti takes about ten to eleven minutes to throughly cook.

While your pasta is cooking you should be monitoring your sausage and occasionally mixing it with the olive oil. When the sausage is adequately browned you should drain the grease from the pan and return to the stove top. When the skillet and sausage is returned I add my red pepper, Italian seasoning, minced garlic,olives, and black pepper. I continue to stir the ingredients of the pan on a setting of medium to medium-low until the pasta is fully cooked.

When the pasta is complete you should drain it in a strainer and wash with warm water. When the pasta has been rinsed strain properly and place into a ceramic cookware or pan that is oven safe. Next you will remove the skillet from the stove top and add to the pasta. Lastly you will want to add your spaghetti sauce and stir your creation. you are now ready to place your ziti into the oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes. I will often remove the pan and add sliced mozzarella or Parmesan to the dish and replace back in the oven until the cheese starts to melt over the top.

Once your ten minutes have elapsed or your cheese is melted if you decide to apply then you are ready to remove from the oven and plate. If you choose not to bake your cheese on then this is a perfect time to now add it. Congratulations you now have a Baked Ziti with Spicy Italian Sausage and Sauce in under half an hour. Your meal is easily accented with garlic or french bread and a glass of white wine.

Italian classic dishes are quick,easy,delicious, and cost friendly. This meal which easily feeds four or five can be made for around ten dollars. Enjoy!