When it snows in April, pasta makes you happy... ier...

To start our crazy week I decided something warm and cozy for dinner on a Monday was a must. This Baked Ziti wasn't hard to make at all on a Sunday afternoon and then toss in the oven Monday before I picked up the kids from school. Nicholas decided another pasta dish was a great idea, he really enjoyed last week's pasta. I didn't have any fresh basil - it's still April and snowing, but I did have some growing in my mini greenhouse getting ready to be planted outside - so I did some... pruning of the fresh sprouts and got enough to make this pasta taste like summer. We all enjoyed it - and the left overs are delicious. It's nice to have some pasta bakes in my back pocket, or refrigerator... or oven. Mmmm Pasta!

Baked Ziti
16 oz ziti or penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling over pasta
1 pound Italian sausage
32 oz marinara sauce
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Use a colander to drain well. Drizzle pasta with a little olive oil and stir so it doesn’t stick together. Pour the pasta into a large bowl and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Discard the excess fat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, egg, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, basil, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the ricotta mixture to the pasta. Add the marinara sauce, cooked sausage, and stir until combined, stirring gently to not break up the pasta noodles.
Pour the pasta into the prepared pan and top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and the pasta is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired, and serve warm.