Baked ziti

Cut down the length of each sausage and peel off the casing.

Put a sauce pot over high heat with a little olive oil and add the sausage and one large diced yellow onion.

Cook, stirring and crumbling the meat, until the onions soften and turn translucent and the meat starts to brown.

Toss in the dry oregano, thyme and rosemary and cook another minute.

Add two full jars of marinara, about six cups, and about a cup of water rinsed from each jar.

Bring to a simmer on high, then back to medium low and simmer gently about an hour, stirring occasionally and skimming the fat off the top.

Cook the ziti in very well salted water, a couple of minutes under the package directions, so it stays a hair underdone.

Drain very well, transfer to a large bowl, add the sauce and stir thoroughly so the tubes fill. Rest about five minutes.

Generously oil a large casserole dish and transfer in exactly half the pasta and sauce.

Dollop half the ricotta over and spread it a little, scatter half the cubed mozzarella and finish the layer with a generous grating of Parmesan or Pecorino.

Add the rest of the pasta and sauce, then the rest of the ricotta left in dollops rather than spread, the rest of the mozzarella and more grated cheese.

Bake in the centre of a 375F oven 30 to 35 minutes until piping hot, the cheese melted and just starting to brown.

Rest 10 to 15 minutes and garnish with chopped Italian parsley.