Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¾ pound hot or mild Italian sausage (pork, chicken or turkey) I always use hot, but know who your guests are. They may like mild better.
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices
1 (14-ounce) can crushed or strained tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
12 ounces dried pasta, such as penne, farfalle or other shaped pasta
10 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces. I use burrata.
1 cup low sodium chicken stock
6 ounces whole-milk ricotta (about 3/4 cup)
⅓ cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup basil leaves

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Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Crumble sausage into skillet, using a spoon to break it into small pieces. Cook until starting to brown, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano and red-pepper flakes (if using), and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in whole tomatoes and their juice, using a wooden spoon or your hands to crush. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.
Stir in pasta and 1 cup low sodium chicken stock and return to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, pluck out the bay leaves, and fold in about a third of the mozzarella.
Top pasta with remaining mozzarella and dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan, then transfer to oven. Bake until pasta is tender when poked with a fork, and cheese is bubbly and lightly golden, 18 to 22 minutes. (If you’d like a more deeply browned topping, run the pan under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes.) Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Top with basil and more red-pepper flakes, if you like

Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Serve with green salad and sourdough bread