Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a pot over medium heat.

Add the finely chopped yellow onion and pressed or minced garlic. Top with a couple cranks of freshly cracked salt and pepper.

Add the meat (or don’t, it’s yummy with or without).

Cook until your onion is translucent and the meat is cooked for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and mix thoroughly. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Hopefully, you’ve already crushed your tomatoes with the flat of your knife. Add your crushed tomatoes and all of their sauce/juice and stir completely.

Season again with salt and pepper and add the red pepper flakes.

Bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit as the sauce cooks.

Combine the 15 ounces of ricotta, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

It’s perfection if you cook the pasta just south of al dente. We want it undercooked slightly since it will bake in the oven more.

Ladle 1 cup of pasta water into a measuring cup, then strain the ziti and rinse with cool water. Set aside until the sauce is ready.

Once your base sauce is done, stir in the 1 cup of pasta water you just reserved.

Place those yummy noodles in a large bowl and add 2 cups of the sauce. Stir it up to coat the pasta evenly.

Spoon sauce on the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish.

Layer ziti, sauce and mozzarella in thirds. With two layers of ricotta.

Scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella pieces.

Layer 1/3 of the pasta.

Dollop the other half of the ricotta mixture.

Scatter 1/3 of the mozzarella.

Add the remaining 1/3 of noodles.

Spread the last third of the sauce.

Artfully scatter the remaining 1/3 of mozzarella.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes until the edges are golden and bubbling.