1 T olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t red pepper flakes
salt
fresh ground black pepper
28 oz. canned diced (or crushed) tomatoes
3 cups water
3 3/4 c dry ziti pasta (or penne)
1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c minced fresh basil
1 c shredded mozzarella
Preheat oven to 475°F. Place oven rack in middle position. Measure out water and pasta.
Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon salt in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet and sauté over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, water, ziti, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a vigorous simmer, until ziti is almost tender, 15 to 18 minutes. While pasta is cooking, measure out cream, Parmesan and basil.
Stir in cream, Parmesan and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over ziti. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes. Serve.
Notes:
- If your skillet is not ovensafe, transfer the pasta mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole dish before sprinkling with the cheese and baking.
- Be sure to preheat your oven before assembling the ingredients.
