Meaty Ziti with Pesto Dollop

I love to cook! I took cake decorating in 7th grade and have a degree in restaurant management. My husband and I opened and owned a bakery for 9 years. We live at 5000 ft so I can adjust most recipes for high altitude. Succumbed to the instant pot craze after loving my stovetop pressure cooker & am a convert. Love to ski, bike, garden & cook.

subheading: Meaty Ziti:

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

2 tablespoons (26 grams) extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound (453 grams) sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings

1 medium onion, sliced

1 medium bulb fennel, quartered, cored and thinly sliced (reserve ½ cup tender fronds for the pesto)

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup dry red wine

One 28-ounce/794-gram can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand

One 8-ounce/227-gram can tomato sauce (reserve the can)

1 pound (453 grams) ziti

2 cups (224 grams) low-moisture whole milk shredded mozzarella

½ cup (40 grams) grated Parmesan

One 8-ounce/226-gram ball fresh mozzarella, halved

Freshly ground black pepper

subheading: Pesto:

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil

1 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves

½ cup fresh fennel fronds

¼ cup (30 grams) blanched almonds, toasted

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons (10 grams) grated Parmesan, plus more for finishing

⅓ cup (71 grams) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Directions at foodnetwork.com

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