Neopolitan Ziti

The sausage-and-peppers-over-ziti combination is a Naples kitchen staple, shipped over with Italian American cooks and now served at Sunday suppers from New Jersey to Long Island. Hot Italian sausage is the engine here, and the directions wisely call for cooking the sausages whole first, then slicing. Pre-slicing before cooking dries them out; cooking whole keeps the juices trapped for juicy half-moon coins.

The peppers need a light hand. Saute only until their raw crunch gives way, not until they collapse into mush. That textural contrast is what makes the dish feel alive instead of stewed.

The sauce is a quick Neapolitan-style marinara built from canned plum tomatoes, tomato puree, plenty of chopped fresh basil, a whisper of garlic, and good olive oil. Light simmer only, 5 minutes once the sausage and peppers go in. Long cooking muddies the fresh tomato flavor.

Chef Tips

• Use San Marzano canned tomatoes if you can find them, their low acidity makes a rounder sauce.
• Save a cup of pasta cooking water before draining, a splash loosens the sauce if it tightens.
• Cook ziti just to al dente, the pasta keeps cooking slightly when tossed with the hot sauce.
• Tear basil by hand instead of chopping, knife bruising turns the leaves black.

Variations

• Swap hot sausage for sweet Italian for a milder version, or use a mix of both.
• Add sliced yellow onion with the bell peppers for extra sweetness.
• Finish under the broiler with a layer of shredded mozzarella for a baked ziti version.