Description
A rich and creamy autumn twist on classic baked ziti, combining savory Italian sausage with a velvety pumpkin-infused cheese sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ziti pasta
- 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 cups pumpkin puree
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Boil ziti in salted water until 2 minutes shy of al dente; drain and set aside.
- Brown the Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until fully cooked.
- Add minced garlic and chopped sage to the skillet, sautéing for 1 minute.
- Stir in pumpkin puree and heavy cream, simmering for 3-5 minutes until thickened.
- Remove from heat and fold in ricotta cheese and half of the Parmesan.
- Combine the cooked ziti with the sauce and pour the mixture into the baking dish.
- Top with mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American