Ricotta and Sausage Baked Ziti Florentine

Prepare the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C (375 degrees F).

Grease a 23x33 cm (9x13 inch) baking dish with cooking spray. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Add the ziti and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 120 milliliters pasta water.

In a heavy skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and cook the Italian sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Set aside 80 milliliters of crushed tomatoes and add the remaining tomatoes to the sausage. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and spinach. Cook for 10 minutes.

In a bowl, combine ricotta, heavy cream, 110 grams cubed mozzarella cheese, 110 grams shredded Parmesan cheese, and garlic granules. Season with salt.

Add the cooked sausage mixture and ricotta mixture to the pasta and toss well. If the mixture seems too thick, stir in reserved pasta water 30 milliliters at a time.

Spread the reserved crushed tomatoes into the bottom of the casserole dish. Pour half of the pasta in an even layer over tomatoes and top with half of the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining pasta and cheese.

Bake the ziti in the preheated oven until the cheese is lightly golden brown and the pasta is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.