Sunday supper: Sausage and Pepper Baked Ziti

SAUSAGE AND PEPPER BAKED ZITI

Serves 10 as main dish.

From "The Good Housekeeping Cookbook, 125th anniversary edition."

• 11/2 lb. sweet and/or hot Italian-sausage links, cut crosswise into 1-in.-thick pieces

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 2 large green, yellow and/or red peppers, cut into 1/4-in.-thick slices

• 1 large onion (about 1 lb.), cut in half, then cut crosswise into 1/4-in.-thick slices

• 1 (15-oz.) can tomato purée

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 lb. ziti or penne pasta

• 1 (8-oz.) pkg. mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2- in. cubes

• 1/2 c. freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese

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

Reduce heat to medium. Discard all but 2 tablespoons sausage drippings from skillet. Add garlic, peppers and onion to sausage and cook, covered, until vegetable are tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in tomatoes with their purée, tomato purée and salt; heat to boiling over medium heat, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large saucepot, 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.