Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook according to package directions until al-dente, about 7 minutes, drain and return to the pot.
2. Preheat the oven to 400F.
3. In a very large frying pan, cook sausage over medium heat, breaking it up with the back of a spoon until it’s crumbled, browned, and cooked through. Transfer sausage to a bowl and drain excess oil from the pan. Then over medium heat, simmer olive oil with the garlic for 2 minutes. Then add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, Italian seasoning and the cooked sausage. Simmer without covering for 8-10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and add cooked pasta and basil and stir to combine.
5. In a small mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese and grated parmesan.
6. In a large baking dish, transfer half of the pasta mixture into the bottom, then spread the ricotta mixture over the pasta layer, then add the rest of the pasta and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
7. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, serve topped with fresh basil.