Italian Turkey Sausage and Ziti Bake

Ingredients

• 1 lb hot Italian turkey sausage
• casings removed
• 4 garlic cloves
• crushed with press
• 2 large red peppers
• cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 onion
• cut in half
• then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 lb sliced white mushroom
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes in puree
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb ziti pasta or 1 lb penne pasta
• 1 (8 ounce) packageshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 12 cup grated romano cheese

Instructions

1. In deep 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage on medium 10 minutes or until browned, stirring and breaking it up with side of spoon.
2. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to medium bowl.
3. In drippings in skillet, cook garlic, peppers, onion, and mushrooms, covered, 10 minutes.
4. Uncover and cook 8 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender and most of liquid has evaporated.
5. Stir in tomatoes, tomato puree, and salt; heat to boiling on medium-high, stirring and breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook sauce 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, but cook 2 minutes less than recommended cooking time.
8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
9. Drain pasta.
10. Return pasta and reserved cooking water to pot; stir in tomato sauce to coat pasta.
11. Add mozzarella and reserved sausage; toss to combine.
12. Divide mixture evenly between 2 shallow ungreased 2 1/2-quart ceramic baking dishes.
13. Sprinkle with Romano cheese.
14. Bake one casserole 20 to 25 minutes or until top browns and sauce is bubbling.
15. Let stand 10 minutes.
16. Meanwhile, prepare second casserole for freezing (see Thawing and Reheating Tips).