Baked Ziti with Sausage

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 pound Italian sausage

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced mushrooms

Salt

1 pound ziti or penne

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cups grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil. Cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer sausage to bowl.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, add remaining tablespoon oil and garlic and cook until fragrant but not brown, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes and diced mushrooms, return sausage to skillet and simmer until thickened, 15-18 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until slightly underdone. Reserve ¼ cup cooking water, drain pasta and return to pot with reserved water. Stir in tomato sauce.

Pour half of pasta into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of each cheese. Pour remaining pasta into dish, sprinkle with remaining cheeses and sprinkle with parsley. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves six to eight.

Ginny Prisco in "Prisco's Family & Friends' Cookbook"