1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
8 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
FOR THE RAGÙ:
3 pounds hot Italian sausage with casings removed
2 cups brown onions, chopped fine
3/4 cup celery, chopped fine
3/4 cup carrots, chopped fine
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta*, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper, crushed
2 cups dry red wine
1 (28 ounce) can of chopped tomatoes in juice, reserve juice
1 tablespoon sugar
FOR THE RAGÙ:
Heat olive oil in a large pot, add pancetta and sauté until crisp. Remove pancetta and set aside. Add sausage to pot and sauté until cooked and no longer pink. Remove sausage and pour off all of the grease. Add the celery, carrots and onions, garlic and crushed red pepper. Continue until the vegetables are wilted and soft. Put the sausage back in, add the wine and allow to boil for a few minutes. Add the cooked pancetta and the tomatoes with their juice. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Let cool. (Can be made a day or two ahead of time and refrigerated, up to this point.)
FOR THE PASTA:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and oil a 4 quart baking dish. Cook the ziti in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, cooked but still firm. Drain the ziti and add to the pot of ragù. Place the mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle with the 3 grated cheeses. Bake until the cheese melts and turns golden, about 15 minutes.
*Pancetta is often referred to as Italian bacon. It is pork that has been salted, dried and spiced for 3 months. It can be found at Italian delis and even in the deli case of many supermarkets.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.