Lisa’s Ziti

Boil the pasta: heat a large pot of water (2 quarts of water) to a strong boil. Add a tbs of salt. Add the pasta and cook at a rolling boil, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente—edible but still a little firm to the bite.

Drain the pasta through a colander. Toss with a little olive oil so the pasta does not Stick together while you make the sauce.

Brown the meat: while the water is heating in the previous step, start on the sauce. Heat a tbs olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium-high heat. When the oil is simmering hot, Add the bulk sausage and/or ground meat. Break up any large chunks of meat as is cooks. Brown well.

Preheat the oven to 350*F.

Beat the eggs, add the cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese and oregano

When the meat is mostly browned, add the onions and sauté, add garlic, basil, salt, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Layer sauce, cheese, pasta in casserole dish: spread a thin layer of mean sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch casserole pan, then dot the surface with half the ricotta cheese mixture, ladle a spoonful of sauce into the pasta, stir it well and then add the pasta into the casserole.

Pour the rest of the sauce over the pasta, dot the remaining cheese mixture over the pasta and sprinkle mozzarella on top.

Bake 20 minutes, Bake in oven at 350* until the top is lightly browned and the cheese melted about 20 minutes.