Baked Ziti with Spinach and Tomatoes

i hadn't made a baked pasta/casserole dish in ages so after four straight day of pounding snow, i figured it was now or never. this recipe (from epicurious) was quite good and is a keeper, but more for the simplicity and ease in making it. the ingredient list is really short so high quality products are essential (especially the moz and parmesan) as every component stands out. this is an easy, hearty, user-friendly, adaptable recipe for a crowd-pleasing dish.

what would i do differently next time?

- up the sausage (1 pound)
- mix the spinach in to the sauce to wilt it a bit and incorporate it better
- the sauce was good, but next time maybe i'll use a more concentrated tomato sauce



Baked Ziti with Spinach and Tomatoes
adapted from epicurious

3/4 pound hot Italian sausages, casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced peeled tomatoes
1/4 cup purchased pesto sauce
10 ounces ziti or penne pasta (about 3 cups), freshly cooked
8 cups ready-to-use spinach leaves (about 2/3 of 10-ounce package)
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

Heat heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion and garlic and sauté until sausage is cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices to pan. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in pesto. Season sauce with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly oil 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Combine pasta, spinach, mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in large bowl. Stir in hot tomato sauce. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese over. Bake until sauce bubbles and cheeses melt, about 30 minutes.