Serving: 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
ADVERTISEMENT
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb ziti
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 16 oz cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated and divided
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes and divided
- Fresh basil, chopped, for serving
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
PREPARATION
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the ziti 2 minutes less than the package instructions call for. Drain and drizzle with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the Italian sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain fat, if needed.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add oregano, basil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Lower heat to medium and cook until the mixture bubbles. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in sugar and fresh basil. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs, cottage cheese, and sour cream, and mix until well combined. Stir in 1 cup of Parmesan and 1 cup of mozzarella.
- Add 1 cup of the red sauce and the drained ziti to the cottage cheese mixture and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Top with the remaining red sauce, followed by the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
- Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray and cover the casserole. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 25 minutes. If desired, broil for 1 to 2 minutes to brown the cheese further.
- Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Top with chopped basil and enjoy!