* canola cooking spray
* 1 lb uncooked penne
* 3/4 lb part-skim ricotta cheese
* 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 2 jars of marinara sauce
* 1/2 lb shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
* 3 links of uncooked chicken or turkey italian sausage
* half a thing of basil, cut into ribbons, for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Coat a lasagna pan with cooking spray.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
While pasta is cooking, you need to make a ricotta mixture, and you need to prep the sausage.
For the cheese mixture: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, red pepper flakes, 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and 1/3 cup of marinara sauce.
For the sausage: Squeeze out the contents of the sausage links into a pan over medium heat. Break it up into crumbles with your spatula as you stir. Take it off the heat when the sausage is almost - but not entirely - cooked.
Once the pasta is finished cooking...
Spread half a bottle of marinara sauce on the bottom of then pan. On top of it, lay down half of the pasta in an even layer. Evenly spread the ricotta mixture on the pasta. Cover with half of the remaining sauce. Top with remaining pasta, then top that with the remaining sauce. Then, cover that with the mozzarella, cover the mozzarella with the sausage, then cover that with the remaining parmesan.
Bake until cheese melts and is browned, about 35 to 50 minutes. Allow ziti to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.
