1️⃣ Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray a deep 9×13 inch casserole dish with nonstick spray, focusing on the edges. 🔥

2️⃣ Cook the pasta: Fill a 3-quart pot with water and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 1 pound ziti (or other tubular pasta if you can’t find ziti). Cook until just shy of al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the pasta into a colander and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil so that it doesn’t stick together. Stir to distribute oil. Set aside. Save the pot that you boiled the pasta in! 🍝

3️⃣ Make the red sauce: In a large skillet, crumble and cook 1 pound Italian sausage over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain and discard the fat. Turn the heat back to medium-high, then add 5 cloves of minced garlic. Sauté the garlic and sausage for about 1 minute, until fragrant. 🧄

4️⃣ Add the spices: Add 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Sauté for about 1 minute. Add the can of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the mixture bubbles, then turn to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes. 🌿🍅

5️⃣ Finish the sauce: Take the skillet off the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil. 🍃

6️⃣ Thicken the cream: In the now-empty pot that you boiled the pasta in, add 1 cup cold heavy cream. Whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch until smooth. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a very low simmer, stirring frequently. The mixture should thicken in about 3-4 minutes. 🍶

7️⃣ Prepare the cottage cheese mixture: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat 2 eggs well. Add 1 pound cottage cheese and combine well. Stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese and 1 cup cubed mozzarella. 🧀

8️⃣ Combine: Once the cream has thickened, remove from heat and stir in the cottage cheese mixture. Add 1 cup of the red sauce and stir together. Add the drained pasta to the pot with the cottage cheese mixture and stir to combine. 🍲

9️⃣ Assemble the casserole: Transfer all the pasta to the prepared deep 9×13 inch pan. Spread the remaining red sauce evenly on top of the pasta. Top with 1 cup chopped mozzarella cheese and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. 🧀🍝

🔟 Bake: Spray a sheet of foil with nonstick spray and cover the casserole. Bake the covered casserole at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes. For a crispier top, broil for 1-2 minutes, but don’t walk away! 👩‍🍳

1️⃣1️⃣ Rest and serve: Let the baked ziti sit for about 10 minutes before digging in. Garnish with fresh chopped basil. 🌿🍽️

Enjoy your delicious Baked Ziti with Sausage! 🍝