Baked Ziti with Turkey Sausage

This was a recipe that was in my Weight Watchers Weekly magazine...It was really good, not just for me, but the hubby and kids :) However, I think the peas kind of over powered the taste. Next time, peas on the side, not in the dish. It is worth 8 pts per serving.

Ingredients:

3/4 lb raw, spicy turkey sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
10 oz frozen green peas, thawed,
2 Tbsp canned tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 oz uncooked whole-wheat ziti, cooked according to package directions
6 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F.

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 seed, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the cooked pasta and half the cheese. Spread evenly in 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 slicing into 8 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Serves: 8