Hearty Baked Ziti

You can still serve this hot, satisfying Baked Ziti recipe even without the sausage. Next time you make this dish, use 2 pounds of ground beef instead of the sausage and save a little money.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb ground beef

8 oz Italian sausage, casings removed

1 lb ziti

1 lb ricotta cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

6 cup (48 ounces) prepared spaghetti sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook beef and sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes; drain.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add to beef in skillet. Combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

3. Spread 2 cups of spaghetti sauce in a large baking dish. Top with half of ziti mixture and half of cheese mixture; repeat layering. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce.

4. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top of casserole. Bake ziti until sauce is hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.