Baked Ziti

Sorry, I don't have a picture of this dish, but this is so yummy!

1 tablespoons Olive Oil
6 cloves Garlic
¼ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes
1 ½ teaspoons salt
28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
3 ¼ cups ziti
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup minced, fresh basil leaves
⅛ teaspoon black ground pepper
1 cup whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475 degrees.

2. Combine the oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large oven-safe nonstick skillet and saute over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, ziti, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a vigorous simmer, until the ziti is almost tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

3. Stir in the cream, Parmesan, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the ziti. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes. Serve.

Notes: To complete this recipe in 30 minutes, preheat your oven before assembling your ingredients. If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the pasta mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole dish before sprinkling with the cheese and baking. Penne can be used in place of the ziti. Part skim mozzarella can be substituted for the the whole milk, but it won’t melt as well or be as creamy.