Baked Ziti

Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200°C). Grease a 3-quart baking dish with the butter.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat the aromatics, until the tomato paste is deep brick-red, about 2 minutes.

Add the whole tomatoes and their juices, using a potato masher or your hands to crush them into the sauce. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, 20 minutes.

Add 1 cup of ricotta, the Parmesan, remaining teaspoon of salt, and remaining teaspoon of pepper to a medium bowl and stir to combine.

Reserve 2 cups of tomato sauce in a bowl, then add the ricotta-Parmesan mixture to the remaining tomato sauce in the pot and stir to combine.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander.

Add the drained pasta tomato-ricotta sauce and stir until well coated.

Add half of the pasta to the prepared baking dish. Cover with 1 cup of the reserved tomato sauce, ¾ cup of the mozzarella, and ½ cup of the remaining ricotta. Add the remaining pasta, then repeat with the remaining cup of tomato sauce, ¾ cup of mozzarella, and ½ cup of ricotta.

Bake until the mozzarella is golden brown and the tomato sauce is bubbling, 25–30 minutes.

Garnish with the basil before serving.

Enjoy!