Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 0.5 lb 85/15 lean ground beef
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 48 oz high-quality marinara sauce
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 lb ziti or penne rigate pasta
  • 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 0.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 lb low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions:

  1. In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the Italian sausage and ground beef, breaking the meat into small crumbles. Once no pink remains, add the diced onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes for 1 minute. Pour in the marinara sauce and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
  2. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for exactly 2 minutes less than the package's 'al dente' instructions. Drain the pasta well, but do not rinse, as the starch is needed for sauce adhesion.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, half of the Parmesan cheese, the fresh parsley, and a pinch of black pepper. Fold in 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
  4. Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer the cooked pasta with the remaining meat sauce and the ricotta mixture. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake at 375°F (190°C) until the cheese is bubbly and mahogany brown, approximately 25-30 minutes.