Cheesy Baked Ziti With Sausage And Peppers

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350u00b0F.

2. 2

   Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

3. 3

   Add the sausage to a KitchenAid(R) Stainless Steel Saute Pan set over medium-low heat. Cook it, breaking it apart with a spatula, until it's cooked throughout. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave any brown bits in the pan and increase the heat to medium. Add the olive oil and peppers and cook them, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic. Cook it, stirring constantly, until it's golden brown. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar to the pan and cook, stirring, until combined. Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

5. 5

   Toss together the pasta with the sauce then transfer half of it to the KitchenAid(R) 3.5-quart Ceramic Nesting Casserole Dish. Top the pasta with half of the sliced mozzarella. Add the remaining pasta to the dish and top it with the remaining sliced mozzarella. Bake the pasta for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove the pasta from oven, top it with grated Parmesan cheese, garnish it with basil leaves and serve.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.