I made homemade baked ziti today.....day off from work for President's Day.
This is a little time consuming but well worth the effort because it makes 3, 13x9 pans, and it freezes beautifully.
I made homemade Bolognese sauce with tomatoes I put up this past summer with my friend Casey.
Super simple:
1 large onion, diced
6-8 cloves of garlic crushed
2 lbs ground beef
1 quart jar home-canned tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 large can tomato puree
1 can water (fill the puree can)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbs Italian Seasoning
3 Tbs fresh chopped (or dried) parsley
Cook onions and garlic in olive oil until softened
Add the ground beef and brown thoroughly
Drain fat if desired
Add tomatoes, puree, and paste and stir well to combine
Add seasonings
Add water and stir well
Let sauce simmer for about 30 minutes while you cook the pasta and make the cheese filling and bechamel sauce

Cook 2 lbs ziti or cavatappi shaped pasta in boiling water per package directions
Drain and set aside

Cheese filling:

1 large container ricotta cheese
1 pound (at least) grated mozzarella, reserving some to sprinkle on finished casserole
4 eggs
1 cup milk or half and half
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine well until you have a creamy, but still thick filling (You can add more milk if it's too thick)

Bechamel:
1 stick butter
8 Tbs flour
6 cups milk
1 tsp salt

Melt butter and add flour, whisking to make a roux
Add milk slowly, whisking to keep the mixture smooth
Add salt
Whisking continually, bring mixture to a simmer and let it thicken
The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon, but still pourable
If it gets too thick, add a little more milk

Mix cooked pasta, bechamel sauce and cheese filling together in a large bowl
Spoon equal amounts into each 13 x 9 pan
Add about 4 ladles of Bolognese sauce to each pan and combine with pasta-cheese mixture
Top each pan with reserved mozzarella
Sprinkle on some pecorino romano grated cheese for even more flavor (about 1/4 cup for each pan)
Bake casseroles 30 - 40 minutes at 350 degrees, until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.

If you are going to freeze the remaining pans, you can freeze before or after the baking process....your choice.

Buon Appetito!