Step 1
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Halve, peel and dice half the onion. Finely dice tomato and trim zucchini, then grate on the largest holes of a box grater.
Step 2
Once water is boiling, add penne to pot. Cook until almost al dente, 8 minutes. Drain penne. Keep empty pot handy for step 5. Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, tomato and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 4-6 minutes. Stir in marinara, zucchini, ½ tsp Italian seasoning, ¼ cup water, 1 teaspoon sugar, and a big pinch of salt. (You’ll use more Italian seasoning in the next step.) Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring, 3 minutes more. Turn off heat.
Step 3
While sauce simmers, in a medium bowl, combine ½ cup ricotta, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Add drained penne, sauce, and 1 tablespoon butter to pot used for pasta. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine thoroughly. Spread out half the pasta mixture in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Using a tablespoon, dollop pasta mixture with herbed ricotta. Top with remaining pasta mixture, then sprinkle with mozzarella.
Step 5
Cover baking dish with foil, and coat inside of foil with nonstick spray first to prevent sticking. Bake pasta on top rack for 10 minutes, then remove from oven; discard foil. Heat broiler to high. Broil until cheese is lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Let cool slightly; top with chili flakes if desired. Divide between plates and serve.
Enjoy!
