40 Meatless Meals: Baked Ziti

1 1lb box ziti, uncooked
3 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup water (more for whole wheat pasta)
2 cups fresh spinach or mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated mozarella

Preheat oven to 350. Mix sauce and water. Toss with ziti and ricotta cheese. Spread in a casserole dish and bake 45 minutes, or until sauce is thick and bubbly. Top with grated mozarella.

During a stricter observance of Lent, when dairy products were not consumed, breadcrumbs were used instead of grated cheese. Another culinary theory is the breadcrumbs were supposed to represent the sawdust of Good St Joseph, the carpenter.