Baked Mostaccioli with Sausage

Cheesy mostaccioli with hot Italian sausage baked for ten

• Prep: 30 min
• Cook: 45 min
• Serves 8
• Difficulty: easy

Hot Italian sausage browns with garlic and marinara, tosses with par-cooked ziti and ricotta, then bakes under a mozzarella cap until golden and bubbling.

Why crews like it: Baked ziti is crew comfort math—cheap pasta, big flavor, one pan to scrub. It slices into portions for fast service and tastes even better as leftovers.

Ingredients

• 1.6 lb mostaccioli pasta
• 2.4 lb hot Italian sausage
• 4.8 cups marinara sauce
• 1.6 cups whole-milk ricotta
• 2.4 cups shredded mozzarella
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 3/4 whole egg
• 4 cloves garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 7/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Par-cook the pasta: Boil ziti in salted water until just shy of al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and toss with a teaspoon of oil.
2. Brown the sausage: Cook sausage with garlic over medium-high heat 10 minutes, breaking into crumbles until browned. Stir in marinara and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Mix the cheese layer: Combine ricotta, half the mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil, and red pepper flakes until smooth.
4. Assemble and bake: Toss ziti with sausage sauce, dollop ricotta mix throughout, top with remaining mozzarella. Cover and bake at 375°F 25 minutes, uncover and bake 15 more until golden. Target oven/smoker temperature: 375°F.
5. Rest and portion: Rest 10 minutes so cheese sets. Cut into ten portions and serve with extra marinara at the line.

Tonight's spread

• Baked ziti squares with garlic bread and simple Caesar salad.
• Extra red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan at the table.

Hall tips

• Sweet Italian sausage works if your hall does not love heat—swap half and half.
• A thin layer of sauce on the pan bottom prevents sticking on cleanup.
• Freeze half a pan before baking for an emergency meal on a future shift.

Meal prep

Undercook ziti by 2 minutes—it finishes in the oven. Assemble in disposable pans for easy cleanup. Rest 10 minutes before cutting so layers set.

Leftovers

• Reheat covered at 350°F with splash of water to loosen sauce.
• Pan-fry cold squares in oil for crispy-edged ziti bites.

• Large stock pot
• baking dish or baking dish
• Aluminum foil
• Mixing bowls
• Wooden spoon

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