BAKED PENNE WITH TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA

By á-34220

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 20 leaves of fresh basil, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• salt
• 16 ounces penne, ziti
• 8 ounces mozzarella, shredded
• 1/4 cup Parmesan

Preparation

Step 1

Bring 4 quarts water to boil. Preheat oven to 400.
Add the olive oil to the pan and saute garlic for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and juices. Stir and bring to a simmer over low heat until slightly thickened or 15 minutes. Stir in basil, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt; then turn off heat.
Add 1 teaspoon salt and past to boiling water. Bring back to a boil and cook until pasta starts to get tender but is still firm
Set aside 1/2 cap of the past water and drain the rest. Return past to pot and add the tomato sauce. Stir. Add as much of reserved pasta water as is needed to thin sauce a bit.
Build the dish in layers. Start with half of the pasta and sauce to the bottom of the pan; then sprinkle half the cheeses on top. Layer on rest of past and sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake about 20 minutes or until cheese turns golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes; then serve.