Baked Ziti with Sausage

• 1 pound (454 g) ziti noodles
• 1½ pounds (680 g) spicy or sweet bulk Italian sausage (or removed from casings)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (28-ounce/794 g) crushed tomatoes
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1½ teaspoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup (240 mL) heavy cream
• ½ cup (50 g) finely grated pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• ⅓ cup (13 g) chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
• 2 cups (227 g) shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven, so you want to undercook it just a bit.) Drain and put the pasta back into the pot.

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and set the oven rack in the middle position.

Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don’t have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp salt, back pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Add the cream, ⅓ cup (33 g) of the pecorino Romano, the cooked sausage, and the basil, if using, to the pan; stir until evenly combined.

Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish. Sprinkle with half the shredded mozzarella and half the remaining pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and pecorino Romano.

Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.

Make-ahead / freezer-friendly: This dish can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight and bake, covered tightly with aluminum foil, in a 425°F (220°C) oven for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout.