Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1cupshredded mozzarella cheese
¼cupfresh basil leaves, chiffonade
For the ricotta mixture
8ouncesricotta
½cupgrated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat. Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat. Add garlic, onion, oregano and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste until well combined, about 1 minute.
Stir in chicken stock, diced tomatoes and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in pasta.
Serve immediately with a heaping spoonful of the ricotta mixture, sprinkled with mozzarella and basil.