Italian Sausage and Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

1 pound mild Italian sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 each red and green bell peppers, chopped
14-1/2 ounces canned Italian-style tomatoes, undrained
6 ounces tomato paste
8 ounces ziti, cooked and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or  1 Tablespoon dried basil
2 cups shredded Italian Cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Remove casings from sausage, the cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

2.Cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until browned on all sides. Drain fat from pan.

3. Add garlic and peppers; cook 5 minutes or until sausage is cooked through and vegetables are crisp-tender.

4. Add tomatoes and tomato paste; mix well.

5. Stir in pasta, basil and 1 cup cheese.

6. Transfer to 13×9-inch baking dish. Cover and bake in preheated 375°F oven 20 minutes.

7. Uncover; sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over casserole. Continue to bake until cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).