Oven-Baked: Italian Baked Ziti

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and have a large, deep baking dish ready.

2. Boil the pasta for 2 minutes less than the box says, then drain.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and cook the onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, without letting it brown.

4. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook until browned, breaking the meat up as it cooks.

5. Stir in all the dry seasonings, using only 2 grams of the red pepper flakes for now, and cook for about 2 minutes.

6. Add the tomato sauce, fresh basil, and water. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, then stir in the last 1 gram of red pepper flakes.

7. Toss the pasta with the sauce and stir in 150 grams of the mozzarella.

8. Layer in the baking dish: half of the pasta, all of the ricotta in dollops, then the rest of the pasta. Top with the remaining 250 grams of mozzarella and the Parmesan.

9. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350°F. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more, until bubbly and golden.

10. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then garnish with chopped fresh basil and serve.