Baked Ziti
Pasta
1 pound whole milk cottage cheese
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
3 oz grated Parmesan (about 1½ cups)
Table salt
1 pound ziti, rigatoni mezze, or other short, tubular pasta
5 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz low-moisture mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1½ cups)
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander (do not wash Dutch oven.)
Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in½ cups basil and sugar, then season with salt and pepper.
Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl; transfer mixture to now-empty Dutch oven set over medium heat. Bring to minner and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, and¾ cups mozzerella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.
Transfer pasta mixture to 13 x 9-inch baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining¾ cups mozzerella and remaining½ cups Parmesan over top. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, 20 - 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.