Easy Baked Ziti

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  1 lbs Italian Pork Sausage
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  1 Yellow Onion(110g)
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  3 oz Tomato Paste
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  28 oz Tomato, Canned, Crushed
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  1 tbsp Italian seasoning
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  0.5 cup 1/2 cup water ($0.00)
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  1 lbs Pasta, Ziti, White, Dry
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  0.5 tbsp 1/2 Tbsp salt (for pasta water) ($0.05)
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  15 oz Cheese, Ricotta, Whole Milk
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  1 cup Cheese, Italian Blend, Shredded
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  0.3 tsp 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.05)
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  2 cup Mozzarella Cheese

  Part-skim mozzarella. Pre-shredded bags are convenient for meal prep.

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  1 Parsley, Fresh

Instructions

1. 1Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink and edges are crispy. While sausage cooks, finely dice the onion.
2. 2Add the onion to the skillet and sauté over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
3. 3Stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat (about 2–3 minutes), then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10–12 minutes while you prepare remaining components. Stir occasionally.
4. 4While sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ziti and cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not mushy. Drain in a colander and shake gently to remove excess water.
5. 5In a bowl, combine the ricotta, Italian blend cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper (about 10 cranks). Stir until evenly mixed. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. 6Return drained ziti to the pot and stir in 1 cup of the red sauce until pasta is evenly coated.
7. 7Layer half the sauced ziti into a 9×13" baking dish, dollop half the ricotta mixture over it, then spoon half the remaining red sauce and sausage on top. Repeat layers with remaining ziti, ricotta, and sauce. Top with the mozzarella. Cover loosely with foil (tented so it doesn't touch cheese) and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
8. 8Remove foil, switch oven to broil, and broil on the middle rack for 5–6 minutes, watching closely, until the mozzarella is golden brown and slightly charred at edges. Top with fresh parsley and divide evenly into 8 airtight containers while hot for meal prep storage.