Baked Ziti

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Brown sweet Italian sausage in a wok or large pan, breaking it up.
3. Add minced garlic and let it bloom.
4. Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, plus water, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaves.
5. Stir to combine, cover, and simmer on medium-low for 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook ziti noodles in boiling salted water to al dente per box directions; reserve some pasta water before draining.
7. Remove bay leaves from sauce.
8. Add cooked ziti to the sauce; stir to combine over medium-low heat.
9. Break fresh mozzarella into pieces and add; stir until melted through. Add some Parmesan; stir in.
10. Add reserved pasta water if mixture is too thick to keep it creamy.
11. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
12. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. Pour ziti mixture in.
13. Top with remaining fresh mozzarella and Parmesan.
14. Spray the dull side of a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray and cover the baking dish (sprayed side down so cheese doesn't stick).
15. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted.
16. Remove foil and serve.