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, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes (if using), and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in whole tomatoes and their juice, using a spoon to break them up. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

Stir in pasta and 1 cup water 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, plenty of black pepper, and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.

1 pound Bulk Sausage(Half Hot, Half Mild Italian) (pork, chicken or turkey)

½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds, coarsely crushed

Pinch of Red-pepper Flakes, plus more for serving

1 (28-ounce) Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes with their juices

1 (14-ounce) Can Crushed or Strained Tomatoes

12 ounces dried pasta, such as Small Shells, Farfalle or other Shaped Pasta

8 ounces Fresh Mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces

6 ounces Whole-Milk Ricotta (about 3/4 cup)

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sausage and Ricotta

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente according to package directions. Four minutes before the orzo is done, add the asparagus. Drain the orzo and asparagus. Wipe out and reserve the pot.

Make dressing while the orzo and asparagus cook

In a large bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons oil and the lemon zest and juice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the drained orzo and asparagus and toss to coat. Set aside while you toast the bread crumbs.

In the reserved pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in the garlic and season with salt and pepper.

Stir the Parmesan and herbs into the orzo, taste, then season with salt, pepper and additional lemon juice, if desired. Top with the toasted bread crumbs and more Parmesan if you like. Serve warm or at room temperature.

1 pound Asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal (about ¼-inch thick)

1 teaspoon Lemon Zest plus 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice, plus more as needed (from about 1 large lemon)

¼ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

½ cup Fresh Dill, Mint or Parsley Leaves (or any combination), torn if large

Lemony Orzo with Asparagus and Garlic Bread Crumbs

Cook pasta shells in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid (do not rinse pasta). Add pasta to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Whisk whole milk, white miso, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, kosher salt, and crushed red pepper flakes in a small saucepan to combine, then bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, melt unsalted butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Sprinkle all-purpose flour over and cook, whisking constantly, until combined and mixture is foaming but still very pale, about 4-6 minutes.

Whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming, very gradually pour in 1¼ cups hot milk mixture, then cook, still whisking constantly, until smooth. Add remaining milk mixture and whisk again until smooth. Add sharp yellow cheddar, coarsely grated, and ½ cup pasta cooking liquid and cook, whisking, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth once more. Add to reserved pasta and stir, adding more pasta cooking liquid to loosen sauce if needed. Serve when pasta is well coated.

16 oz. Conchigliette Pasta (small shells)

½-⅔ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, plus more for serving

12 oz. Sharp Yellow Cheddar, coarsely grated

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, 3 minutes. Add beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes.

Add pasta to the pot and cook according to package instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, add tomato paste to skillet and cook, stirring, until darkened, about 1 minute. Add 1½ cups water, Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer until slightly reduced, about 7 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer pasta directly from the pot to the skillet along with 1½ cups pasta water. Increase heat to high and simmer vigorously, tossing, until sauce reduces and coats the pasta, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Parmesan.

1 pound Ground Beef (preferably 20 percent fat), pork or dark meat turkey

16 ounces Spaghetti, pappardelle or other long pasta

Put the oil, butter and chopped onion in the pot and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vegetables to coat them well.

Add ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Crumble the meat with a fork, stir well and cook until the beef has lost its raw, red color.

Add milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely. Add nutmeg and stir.

Add the wine, let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, turn the heat down so that the sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers, with just an intermittent bubble breaking through to the surface. Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. While the sauce is cooking, you are likely to find that it begins to dry out and the fat separates from the meat. To keep it from sticking, add ½ cup of water whenever necessary. At the end, however, no water at all must be left and the fat must separate from the sauce. Stir to mix the fat into the sauce, taste and correct for salt.

Toss with cooked drained pasta, adding the tablespoon of butter, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan on the side.

3 tablespoons Butter plus 1 tablespoon for tossing the pasta

¾ pound Ground Pork or Beef Chuck (or you can use 1 part pork to 2 parts beef)

1½ cups Canned Imported Italian Plum Tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese for serving

On a sheet pan, mash together the butter and miso. Add the garlic and squash, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and toss to coat with the miso-butter mixture. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and season with pepper. Cook until easily pierced with a fork and the raw taste is gone, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle boil, and cook until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the noodles. If done before the squash, drizzle with olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together. Leave in the sink to drain.

When the squash is done, return the pasta to the pot over low heat. Scrape in squash, garlic and any liquid that accumulated, then add the Parmesan and ½ cup pasta water, stirring well until the noodles have a light sheen to them. If it appears dry, add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in the lime zest and juice, season to taste with salt, and top with pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using. Serve with extra cheese.

2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

2½ pounds Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (see note)

1 tablespoon Olive Oil, plus more as needed

1 pound Mezze Rigatoni or other short pasta

½ cup Grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

1 Lime, zested and juiced (2 teaspoons zest, 2 tablespoons juice)

When prepping the butternut squash, soften the skin before cutting by trimming the ends, prick the skin all over with a fork and microwave for 3 to 3 ½ minutes. This softens the skin and flesh without cooking it too much. Hold the squash with a kitchen towel, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin, and continue to cut from there.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add corn cobs to the pot of water.

Once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook over medium-high, according to package instructions, until tender but toothsome, just shy of al dente.

In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the corn kernels and sugar, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, about 6 minutes. Stir in the asparagus, shallots and 1½ teaspoon turmeric, and cook, stirring frequently, until just softened and corn is caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Once the pasta is just short of al dente, reserve 1½ cups pasta water, then drain the pasta, and discard the corn cobs.

Add the butter, garlic and remaining 1½ teaspoon turmeric to the large skillet and cook over medium until butter melts and starts to foam, about 3 minutes. Whisk in vermouth to deglaze, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, then whisk in 1 cup pasta water.

Add the pasta, and toss with tongs over medium heat until thoroughly coated and al dente, 1 to 2 minutes, adding pasta water as needed. Remove from heat, stir in half the corn mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide pasta among plates. Dollop with ricotta and top with remaining corn mixture. Drizzle with olive oil. Zest lemon over pasta, then cut the lemon into quarters, for squeezing on top, and serve immediately.

3-4 ears of Corn, husked, kernels and cobs separated (cobs used in boiling water)

1 pound Spaghetti, linguine or any shaped pasta

¼ cup Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling

1 pound Asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on an angle

1 cup Fresh Ricotta, seasoned to taste with salt

It’s important to season at every step with this one!

Inspired by NYT Cooking: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021161-caramelized-corn-and-asparagus-pasta-with-ricotta

Caramelized Corn and Asparagus Pasta With Ricotta

Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss gnocchi with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon butter and ½ teaspoon salt.

On another rimmed baking sheet, toss asparagus, leeks and shallots with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and a few generous grinds of pepper. Sprinkle red-pepper flakes if using.

Put both pans in the oven, with the gnocchi on the bottom rack and the vegetables above. Stir the gnocchi and vegetables after 5 minutes to distribute the butter. Stir the vegetables once or twice more, but leave the gnocchi undisturbed. Roast until vegetables are golden and getting crispy on the edges, about 15 minutes total, and the gnocchi are golden brown on one side, 20 to 25 minutes total. Stir the peas into the vegetables in the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Combine the gnocchi and vegetables on one tray, then grate the lemon zest over the top. Sprinkle with half the Parmesan and chives, if using, saving some for serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and transfer to a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and chives, and serve immediately.

2 (12-ounce) packages Gnocchi, fresh or al-dente dried 

1 bunch Asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into thirds

2-3 small Leeks, white and light green parts trimmed, halved lengthwise, then sliced ½-inch thick (about 2-3 cups)

2 Shallots, trimmed and sliced lengthwise ¼-inch thick

1 cup Frozen Peas, thawed (or fresh peas)

¼ cup sliced Fresh Chives or Parsley (optional)

Sheet-Pan Gnocchi With Asparagus, Leeks and Peas

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium-high. Cook half of mushrooms in a single layer, undisturbed, until edges are brown and starting to crisp, about 3 minutes. Give mushrooms a toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until all sides are brown and crisp, about 5 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a plate; season with salt. Repeat with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil and mushrooms and more salt.

Reduce heat to medium-low and return all of the mushrooms to the pot. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until shallots are translucent and softened, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions.

Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with mushrooms and add cream and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

Remove pot from heat. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, butter, ½ oz. Parmesan, and lots of pepper and toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Divide pasta among bowls and top with more Parmesan.

1lb. mixed Mushrooms (such as maitake, oyster, crimini, and/or shiitake), torn into bite-size pieces

½ oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), plus more for serving

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/creamy-pasta-with-crispy-mushrooms

Cook gnocchi according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain gnocchi; return to pan. Add spinach, ¼ cup cheese, and 1 tablespoon olive oil; cover and let stand until spinach wilts, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently toss to combine.

Pulse red peppers, tomatoes, baguette, vinegar, garlic, paprika, crushed red pepper, and remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.

Divide gnocchi mixture among bowls. Top with sauce and cheese.

16 ounces Potato Gnocchi. 
See this recipe if you feel like making it from scratch!

3 ounces Manchego Cheese, grated (about 6 Tbsp.) and divided

1 cup jarred Roasted Red Peppers, chopped

Gnocchi with Spinach and Red-Pepper Sauce

Preheat oven to 425°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add a generous amount of salt. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking together, until just barely al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

While you are cooking the pasta, get the broccoli rabe going. Heat 5 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium–high. Add leeks and season with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened (but not so much that they don’t have any texture left) and starting to brown, 8–10 minutes.

Add red pepper flakes to leeks and stir to incorporate. Add broccoli rabe by the handful, stirring to combine and allowing each addition to wilt before adding more. Season with salt and black pepper. Once all of the broccoli rabe has been added, cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat and set aside.

Add pasta to reserved broccoli rabe mixture along with cream, three-quarters of the cheese, ½ cup chives, and reserved pasta cooking liquid; mix well. Season with salt and black pepper and add more red pepper flakes if you prefer more heat (keep in mind that the saltiness and spiciness will increase as the pasta bakes).

Transfer pasta to a 3-qt. baking dish (or, if your Dutch oven is ovenproof, just leave it in there). Toss breadcrumbs and remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl until coated; season with salt and black pepper. Scatter over pasta, then sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese. Bake until pasta is bubbling across the entire surface and breadcrumbs are deep golden brown, 30–35 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Scatter remaining chives over pasta just before serving.

3 large Leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced into half-moons

1 tsp. (or more) crushed Red Pepper Flakes

2 bunches Broccoli Rabe or 3 bunches baby broccolini, trimmed, coarsely chopped

12 oz. Sharp White Cheddar, coarsely grated (about 3 cups), divided

1 cup coarse fresh Breadcrumbs or Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Spicy Baked Pasta With Cheddar and Broccoli Rabe

Heat the butter in a skillet and add the lemon zest.

Drop the linguine into the boiling water. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Add the cream to the butter and lemon zest mixture. Add the pasta and lemon juice and stir until just heated through. Add the Parmesan and toss. Serve with additional Parmesan and lemon zest on the side.

1 tablespoon freshly grated Lemon Zest, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Lemon Juice

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, plus extra cheese to serve on the side

In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the chicken, carrot, onion, garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, thyme, oregano, red-pepper flakes and onion powder. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and a couple grinds of pepper.

Pour the tomatoes and their juices into the slow cooker, crushing the tomatoes with your hands, if using whole. Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low until the chicken is very tender, about 6 hours. The ragù will hold well on warm for an additional 1 to 2 hours.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, in a small bowl, combine the ricotta with the chopped herbs, lemon juice and a pinch of salt; set aside.

Coarsely shred the cooked chicken with two forks. Remove and discard the herb sprigs and add the vinegar and the basil leaves. Taste the sauce, adding more red-pepper flakes, if you like. Turn off the slow cooker. Pour the drained pasta into the slow cooker and toss to combine.

Divide among bowls and top with the ricotta mixture.

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs

½ Yellow or Red Onion, finely minced (about 1 cup)

1 sprig Fresh Thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

1 sprig Fresh Oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano)

1 ½ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes, plus more to taste

1  (14-ounce) can Whole Tomatoes or Crushed Tomatoes

8  ounces Pappardelle, Tagliatelle, Fettuccine or other long, thick pasta

Heaping ¼ cup chopped soft Fresh Herbs, such as Chives, Oregano, Parsley or Basil, or a mix

Slow Cooker Chicken Ragù With Herbed Ricotta

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook butternut squash for 25-30 minutes until roasted. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. 

Meanwhile, cook the sausage: In a Dutch oven or skillet large enough to hold all the pasta, add the sausage until cooked through. Remove sausage from pan and drain fat.

Add pasta to boiling water, and cook to al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, and drain the pasta.

Cook butter until golden, nutty smelling and foaming, just a minute or two. Add sage leaves for about 30 seconds to a minute, until they begin to get crispy. Remove sage from pan and remove the pan from the heat and add back the sausage. 
 Cut sage leaves and cut into strips. Add back in to pot.

Add the pasta to the pan and mix with the brown-butter sauce (if the pasta has cooled off quite a bit, return the pan to low heat while you combine everything). Stir in the cheese, then add pasta water as needed to smooth the sauce. Adjust with salt and pepper, and serve with extra Parmesan, if you like.

1 pound cupped or tubed pasta, like Orecchiette or Penne

½ pound Hot Italian Sausage (without casings)

2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for the pasta

2-2½ pounds peeled Butternut Squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Pasta With Sausage, Squash and Sage Brown Butter

Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the squash on a sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss well. Arrange the squash in one layer and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash is tender, turning once with a metal spatula.

Bring a large pot of salted-water to a rolling boil.

While your water comes to a boil, make the brown butter: cut stick into 1-inch chunks and add to a large pot or dutch oven. Heat over medium heat and let cook, stirring constantly, until the butter begins to turn golden brown around the edges, about 5-7 minutes.

Once the water is boiling, add in pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving about ¼ cup of the pasta water.

Once the butter is beginning to brown and smell toasty and nutty, add in the sage leaves. Let cook until the sage has crisped up, about 30 seconds. Remove butter from the heat and using a slotted spoon, transfer sage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Add cooked pasta to the brown butter along with about 3 tablespoons of the reversed pasta water and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring to combine, until the sauce comes together to coat the noodles.

Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan until melted. Add in roasted squash. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with pine nuts, Parmesan, a drizzle of balsamic and crispy sage leaves. Serve warm.

1 Large Butternut Squash (about 3 pounds), peeled and seeded and cut in 1-inch chunks

In a medium bowl, combine the turkey, ricotta, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of the oregano, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix well to combine. Grease your hands with a bit of olive oil and roll the meat into sixteen 2-tablespoon-size balls, placing them on a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Drizzle the reserved sun-dried tomato oil over the meatballs and place the baking dish in the oven. Bake until the meatballs are crisp on the outside but not yet cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, but leave the oven on.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the marinara sauce, 2 cups of water, the vinegar, eggs, the remaining 2 garlic cloves, the remaining 1 teaspoon of oregano, the pasta, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Pour the pasta and tomato sauce mixture around the meatballs, gently stirring to distribute. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the top. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until the sauce has thickened and the noodles have cooked, about 40 minutes more. Turn the oven to broil, remove the foil, and cook until the top of the bake is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Let the bake cool for 5 minutes, then top with fresh basil and serve.

¼ cup grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for serving

¼ cup chopped Sun-Dried Tomatoes packed in olive oil, drained and oil reserved

1 (24oz) jar Marinara Sauce or from Homemade Marinara Recipe

¾ pound uncooked Short-Cut Pasta of your choice

Feel free to replace the turkey with ground chicken, lean ground pork, or ground beef.

"Half Baked Harvest Super Simple", by Tieghan Gerard (Page 196)

Boil a large pot of water with 2 tablespoons of salt.

Heat skillet with oil, add garlic. Remove garlic from skillet when golden.

Add leeks and salt to skillet. Cook 6-8 minutes until barely tender (will continue to cook).

Add one cup of pasta water, frozen peas and lemon zest to skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, or until water has slightly vaporized.

Then add pasta, cheese, garlic, pepper and lemon juice. If dry, add reserved pasta water.

3 Leeks, chopped. Only cook white and light green parts.

½ cup Parmesan Cheese and some for toppings

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Slice eggplants into ½ inch thick rounds. Place on a baking sheet and cover with olive oil, sprinkling with salt and adding more oil as needed. Rub olive oil over tomatoes and place on another baking sheet. Roast vegetables until nicely browned and the tomatoes are blistered. Meanwhile, put a large pot of water to boil and salt it.

Chop roasted tomatoes into bite-sized cubes. Add olive oil to a cooking pan. Turn the heat to medium, add the garlic and chiles, and cook until the garlic colors a little bit. Add the tomatoes and oregano, along with some salt and pepper; cook until saucy but not too dry, stirring occasionally. 

Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy. While it’s cooking, cut the eggplant into strips and reheat for a minute in the tomato sauce. Drain the pasta and toss it with the tomato sauce and the eggplant. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then top with the parsley or basil and grated cheese and serve.

2 teaspoon good dried Oregano, or 2 tablespoon fresh

Modified NYT Cooking Recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014832-pasta-alla-norma

Simmer peas with cream, red-pepper flakes, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet, covered, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add spinach and cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, stirring, until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and juice.

Meanwhile, cook gnocchi in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain gnocchi.

Add gnocchi to sauce with cheese and some of reserved cooking water and stir to coat. Thin with additional cooking water if necessary.

1 pound dried Gnocchi (preferably De Cecco)

Position the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 375°F.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the sausage, onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, red-pepper flakes, and tomato paste; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes (along with their juice) and oregano; bring to a simmer, and cook, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon until in small pieces, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more red-pepper flakes if desired.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the filling ingredients and process until mostly smooth.

Pat down spinach in a paper towel or clean dishcloth until very dry. Transfer to a bowl and season with a pinch of salt.

Coat baking dish with cooking spray and spread the bottom with 2 cups sauce. Top with a layer of three noodles, then a third of the ricotta mixture (about 1 1/3 cups), and a third of the spinach (about 2/3 cup). Sprinkle with 1 cup grated mozzarella.

Repeat twice more, skipping the mozzarella on the third layer. Top the lasagna with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups mozzarella in clusters so some of the sauce peeks through.

Place the baking pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly spray a piece of foil with cooking spray, cover the lasagna, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until lightly browned and bubbly, about 20 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

1 pound Sweet Italian Sausage, casings removed

1/2 teaspoon Red-Pepper Flakes, plus more to taste

Two 15-ounce containers Ricotta Cheese, one Part-Skim and one Whole

9 No-Boil Lasagna Noodles (such as Barilla)

1 pound bag grated Mozzarella, about 4 cups (use fresh if will to pay $$$)

Don't be tempted to use hot/spicy Italian sausage — takes away from flavor.

Do Ahead: The sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated. The filling can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated.

Lasagna with Sausage, Spinach, and Three Cheeses

Pasta Recipes