One-Pan Cheesy Sausage and Pepper Ziti Bake

1. Preheat the oven

Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Process the tomatoes

In a food processor, pulse the whole tomatoes with their juice until they are coarsely chopped. This should take about 6-8 pulses.

3. Cook the sausage

In a 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon until it is no longer pink. This should take about 3-5 minutes.

4. Add garlic and red pepper flakes

Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet, stirring for about 30 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant.

5. Simmer tomatoes

Stir in the processed tomatoes and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.

6. Cook pasta and peppers

Stir in the water, ziti, bell pepper, and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a rapid simmer, cover the skillet, and cook for 14-17 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta is just tender.

7. Add cream, Parmesan, and basil

Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan, and chopped basil. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

8. Top with mozzarella and bake

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top of the pasta. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and nicely browned.

9. Serve

Serve hot and enjoy your One-Pan Cheesy Sausage and Pepper Ziti Bake.