Baked Ziti with Turkey Sausage

Recipe courtesy of Kristen8/16/03

Makes 8 servings POINTS value per serving: 6

Ingredients
3/4 pound mild turkey sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
One 28-oz can diced tomatoes
One 10-oz package frozen peas, thawed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 oz dried whole wheat ziti, cooked according to the package's
instructions and drained
6 oz fat-free Mozzarella cheese, grated*
Note* If the cheese is too soft to grate easily, allow it to "harden"
in the freezer for 15 minutes, and then proceed.

Instructions

• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. 
• Crumble the sausage meat into a large saucepan and brown over medium heat, stirring often, about 4 minutes. 
• Drain off any fat, then add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. 
• Stir in the tomatoes, peas, tomato paste, oregano, basil, thyme, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered 5 minutes, stirring often. 
• Stir in the pasta and half the grated cheese. Spread evenly into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Top evenly with the remaining cheese. 
• Bake until the cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.