# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz ziti or rigatoni pasta
→ Sauce
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
05 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Cheese Mixture
08 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (optional)
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Assembly
13 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - Nonstick cooking spray
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
02 - Boil ziti in salted water until just al dente. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
03 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, egg, basil if used, and salt. Stir to smooth consistency.
05 - In a large bowl, toss drained pasta with half of the tomato sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese until evenly coated.
06 - Divide half the pasta mixture evenly among muffin cups. Layer with spoonfuls of the cheese mixture, then top with remaining pasta. Spoon remaining tomato sauce over each and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese melts and becomes bubbly. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before loosening with a knife and removing each cup.
08 - Serve warm, optionally garnished with extra fresh basil.
