SAUSAGE-AND-PEPPER
BAKED ZITI

This new twist on baked ziti will please kids as well as adults. If you like, assemble it up to a day ahead, refrigerate, and bake just before serving.

Prep: 40 minutes plus standing
Bake: 20 minutes

1½ pounds sweet and/or hot Italian-sausage links, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 large green, yellow, and/or red peppers, cut into

¼-inch-thick slices

1 jumbo onion (about 1 pound), cut in half, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices

1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in puree

1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound ziti or penne pasta

1 package (8 ounces) part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes

½ cup freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese

1. Prepare sauce: In deep nonstick 12-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Discard all but 2 tablespoons sausage drippings from skillet. Add garlic, peppers, and onion to sausage and cook, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes with their puree, tomato puree, and salt; heat to boiling over medium heat, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. In large sauce-pot, cook pasta 2 minutes less than directed on label. Drain pasta; return to saucepot. Add sauce and stir until pasta is evenly coated. Add mozzarella; toss to combine.

4. Transfer pasta mixture to 13" by 9" baking dish and spread evenly; sprinkle with Romano. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbling and top is brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes for easier serving. Makes 10 main-dish servings.

Each serving: About 520 calories, 25g protein, 49g carbohydrate, 23g total fat (10g saturated), 65mg cholesterol, 1,190mg sodium.