Baked ziti with soaked pasta

Soak the dried ziti in warm salted water 20 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then so it does not stick, until it turns pale white; it can also soak overnight in the fridge.

Melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat; add the onion and sweat without color to soften.

Add minced garlic, pepper flakes, oregano and the basil stems.

Cut the mozzarella into cubes.

When the onion is on the verge of coloring, add the crushed tomatoes; taste for salt and simmer while the pasta soaks, until thickened.

Drain the pasta.

Set aside about half the sauce for the top; remove the basil stems from the rest.

Into the sauce left in the pot stir the ricotta, Parmesan, eggs and cream, and half the minced parsley and basil; taste for salt.

Add the soaked pasta and half a pound of the mozzarella cubes and fold together; it will look soupy.

Pour into a deep baking dish, top with the reserved red sauce so the layers peek through, and scatter the remaining mozzarella over the top.

Bake covered with foil in a 400F oven, rack in the middle, 45 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake about 15 minutes more until brown and bubbly, finishing a few moments under the broiler.

Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan, drizzle with good olive oil and finish with parsley and basil.

Rest 10 to 15 minutes so the cheese sets and it tightens up before serving.