| 3/4 pound | Mild turkey sausage, casings removed |
| 1 | Medium onion, chopped |
| 1 | Medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped |
| one 28-oz | Can diced tomatoes |
| one 10-oz | Package frozen peas, thawed |
| 2 tbsp | Tomato paste |
| 1 tsp | Dried oregano |
| 1 tsp | Dried basil |
| 1/2 tsp | Dried thyme |
| 1/2 tsp | Fennel seeds |
| 1/2 tsp | Freshly ground black pepper |
| 12 oz | Dried whole wheat ziti, cooked according to the package's instructions and drained |
| 6 oz | Fat-free Mozzarella cheese, grated* |
| | Note* If the cheese is too soft to grate easily, allow it to "harden" in the freezer for 15 minutes, and then proceed. |
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to
350°F.
Crumble the sausage meat into a large saucepan and brown over medium heat, stirring often, about 4 minutes.
Drain off any fat, then add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, peas, tomato paste, oregano, basil, thyme, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered 5 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in the pasta and half the grated cheese. Spread evenly into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Top evenly with the remaining cheese.
Bake until the cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.