Cook the ziti

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it heavily.
• Add the ziti and cook until al dente.

Make the ricotta mixture

• In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, most of the grated Pecorino Romano, part of the cubed mozzarella, a couple of ladlefuls of sauce, plenty of cracked black pepper and the kosher salt.
• Mix until the mixture turns a light pink color; if it stays too white, add a little more sauce.

Combine pasta and mixture

• Add the cooked ziti to the bowl and mix everything together.

Assemble the layers

• Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a large baking dish.
• Layer half of the ziti mixture, cubed mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, cracked black pepper and fresh parsley.
• Repeat with the remaining ziti mixture, more mozzarella, Pecorino Romano and a thick layer of sauce.
• Finish with the rest of the mozzarella, grated Pecorino Romano, cracked black pepper and chopped parsley.

Bake

• Cover the dish with foil and bake at 200 °C (400 °F).
• Uncover and bake again until browned and bubbly.

Rest and serve

• Let the baked ziti cool before serving so it sets and becomes firmer.