Baked Ziti, Sausage in White Cheese Sauce

When it comes to quick, satisfying, comfort food, pasta in any form does it for me. Through the years I have cut out hundreds of pasta recipes with the intention of making them all! I have many cookbooks where I flagged many delicious looking pasta recipes, that I will eventually get to make...maybe years from today but, eventually!!  A fondness for pasta, with creamy white sauces, seems to spell comfort to me. The pasta I'm sharing today is made with a "Bechamel"sauce.  Bechamel is a white sauce that is used in many Italian pasta dishes. The origin of Bechamel, or white sauce, is questionable.  Ranging from Italian origins, brought to the France court by the cooks of Catherina dei Medici, to being the invention of the Marquis of Bechameil. Origin aside, Bechamel or Bechiamella as it is called in Italian, is a white sauce made from butter, flour and milk. It is commonly used in Italian oven baked dishes.
This week has been long and stressful. In my search for something easy, delicious and comforting, I decided on this baked ziti. It has an easy white sauce and a wonderful cheesey layer! A nice big salad, some Italian bread and you have a delicious meal.  Buon Appetito!

The ingredients for the cheese layer

Sausage cooked, cut and ready to be added to the pasta

The creamy pasta layer

This was a delicious creamy pasta dish. When this came out of the oven we were all so hungry we just dug in. Oh nooo.....No pictures!!!

BAKED ZITI, SAUSAGE IN WHITE CHEESE
SAUCE

1 lb. pkg. ziti macaroni
4 tbsp. salad oil
1 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage

SAUCE:

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper
4 c. milk
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

CHEESE LAYER:

1 1/2 lbs. ricotta cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. chopped roasted red pepper
2 eggs
2 tbsp. basil
Salt and pepper
(I added a 1/2 cup of grated Mozzarella cheese to the cheese mixture)

1/2 lb. Mozzarella cheese, grated
Paprika

Cook ziti as directed and drain. In hot oil, saute sausage until lightly browned. Remove from pan and then slice (1/2 inch pieces). To make sauce, melt butter in medium saucepan, remove from heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to boiling, stirring. Reduce heat; simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. In bowl, combine ziti and sauce.

To make cheese layer; in medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan, eggs, basil, salt and pepper; mix well.

In bottom of 9 x 13 inch baking dish, spoon half the ziti sauce mixture. Layer with cheese mixture. Spoon on remaining ziti sauce mixture. Arrange sliced sausage on top. Sprinkle with grated Mozzarella and paprika. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Makes 10 servings.