CHEESY BAKED PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND RICOTTA

Melissa Clark came up with this amazing recipe — a cross between baked ziti and sausage lasagna, with a sauce that cooks the pasta straight from the box. It’s rich with ricotta and crushed tomatoes, and if the Italian sausage adds meaty depth to the sauce, vegetarians can leave it out or use their favourite plant-based sausage instead. Serve it in the pan, with a lot of basil and a shower of Parmesan, red-pepper flakes on the side.

RECIPE

Time: 45 minutes Yield: 4 servings

■ 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

■ 3/4 pound bulk hot or mild Italian sausage (pork, chicken or turkey)

■ 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

■ 1 teaspoon dried oregano

■ 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed

■ Pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving (optional)

■ 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices

■ 1 (14-ounce) can crushed or strained tomatoes

■ 2 bay leaves Kosher salt

■ 12 ounces dried pasta, such as small shells, farfalle or other shaped pasta

■ 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces

■ 6 ounces whole-milk ricotta (about 3/4 cup)

■ 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

■ 1/4 cup basil leaves

■ Black pepper, for serving

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Crumble sausage into skillet, using a spoon to break it into small pieces. Cook until starting to brown, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes (if using), and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Stir in whole tomatoes and their juice, using a spoon to break them up. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

3. Stir in pasta and 1 cup water and return to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, pluck out the bay leaves, and fold in about a third of the mozzarella.

4. Top pasta with remaining mozzarella and dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan, then transfer to oven. Bake until pasta is tender when poked with a fork, and cheese is bubbly and lightly golden, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Top with basil, plenty of black pepper, and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.

TIPS

We call for fresh mozzarella because it’s so delicious, but the commercial low-moisture variety from the supermarket sometimes melts even better, if herpic cheese pulls are your thing.

Small pasta shapes we love for this dish as much as shells and farfalle: cavatappi, gemelli, orecchiette, penne and ziti, of course.