Catholic Recipe: Baked Ziti

Also Called: Ziti al Forno

A tasty sauce, chunks of spicy sausages, cubes of mozzarella cheese, and ziti combine to make a great baked casserole dish suitable for any occasion and appropriate for celebrating the feasts of St. Catherine of Siena and St. Peter of Verona, both Italians.

DIRECTIONS

Brown the sausage links well in a heavy sauce pan. Remove and cut into 1/2 inch rounds. Next, make the sauce by heating the oil, and cooking the vegetables until they are softened. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, sausage pieces, and parsley, and simmer for 60 minutes until thickened. Meanwhile cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, and add to the sauce, mixing well. In a buttered ovenproof dish, add 1/3 of the pasta, then sprinkle with the diced cheese. Repeat these layers twice more. Pour over top of the pasta the beaten eggs, and then sprinkle with the grated cheese. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F. oven until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.