Preheat the Oven. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Cook the Pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook for 1–2 minutes less than package directions — you want it just shy of al dente since it will continue cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.

Make the Meat Sauce. In a large pot or skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat until fully cooked. Drain excess fat if necessary. Season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Stir in the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once simmered, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Set aside 2 cups of the sauce to use later for layering.

Prepare the Ricotta Mixture. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, parmesan, egg, parsley, basil, and grated garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy.

Assemble the Ziti. Add the cooked pasta to the remaining meat sauce and stir to coat evenly. Spoon half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Add dollops of the ricotta mixture across the top and layer with slices of fresh mozzarella. Pour half of the reserved sauce evenly over the top.

Repeat with the remaining pasta, the rest of the ricotta mixture, and top with the remaining shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Bake. Cover the dish with aluminum foil (lightly sprayed with nonstick spray so it doesn’t stick to the cheese). Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and lightly golden.

For extra browning, broil on high for 1–2 minutes — watch closely so it doesn’t burn.

Serve. Allow the baked ziti to rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.