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1
Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot.
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2
Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
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3
Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water, then drain pasta.
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4
Rinse pasta with cold water and drain again, leaving pasta slightly wet, leave in colander.
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5
Dry now-empty pot, add 1 tablespoon oil, and return to medium-high heat until shimmering.
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6
Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
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7
Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
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8
Stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, bring to simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
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9
Let cool to room temperature, 30 to 45 minutes.
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10
Stir reserved cooking water, pasta, mozzarella and basil into cooled sauce; transfer to 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
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11
Combine ricotta, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl; cover.
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12
Wrap dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate ziti and ricotta separately for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
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13
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400F.
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14
Unwrap dish and cover tightly with greased aluminum foil.
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15
Bake casserole until beginning to bubble around edges, about 20 minutes.
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16
Remove foil and dollop rounded tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over top.
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17
Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan and bake, uncovered, until casserole is hot throughout and cheese is melted and begins to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
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18
Let cool for 10 minutes.
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19
Sprinkle with basil and serve.
