Baked Ziti | Umami

Ingredients

• 1 lb ziti pasta
• Kosher salt
• 3½ cups Quick Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)
• 1 lb fresh mozzarella, half cut into ½ inch cubes and half thinly sliced
• ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• Pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
• Quick Tomato Sauce:
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and sausage crumbled
• ¾ lb ground beef
• ¼ medium onion, diced (about 3 tbsp)
• 1½ tsp minced garlic
• One 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• Sprig fresh thyme
• Sprig fresh basil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper