Baked mostaccioli, baked ziti, baked penne—whatever you call this easy dish, if it’s not a staple weeknight meal in your house, it should be. Get all the flavors of lasagna, minus the fuss, in this endlessly customizable pasta bake.
Mostaccioli is a hearty baked pasta that's perfect for a weeknight dinner. Essentially an easier lasagna made with penne. Top it with plenty of cheese and you'll soon have a new favorite to add to the rotation.
INGREDIENTS :
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 lb.
sweet italian sausage, remove from casing 2
cloves garlic, minced 1/8 tsp.
crushed red pepper flakes 1
(28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, pulsed in a blender 1
sprig of fresh basil, plus more chopped for garnish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper 8 oz.
Penne pasta 1
large egg 1 c.
ricotta 1/2 c.
freshly grated Parmesan, divided 1 1/2 c.
shredded mozzarella, divided
DIRECTIONS :
Preheat oven to 450°. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil.
Add sausage and cook, breaking up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until golden, about 8 minutes.
Add garlic and red pepper flakes to sausage and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in tomatoes and basil and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally until sauce is thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions; drain.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, lightly beat egg. Stir in ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and ½ cup mozzarella into the egg. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce in a 2-quart baking dish. Arrange penne on top of tomato sauce in an even layer and dollop with ricotta mixture and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
Bake mostaccioli until top is deeply golden and sauce is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Garnish with basil before serving.