Here's a quick way to have the wonderful flavor of manicotti without all the work of stuffing the tubes. Use a smaller pasta, and cover it with sauce and cheese.

1 Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

2 In a large saucepan, heat oil over moderately high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until onion is translucent. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to moderately low. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

3 In a medium bowl, blend together ricotta, mozzarella, egg, black pepper, and nutmeg.

4 Cover the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart baking dish with about 1 cup of the tomato sauce. Layer with half of the ziti, half of the cheese mixture, 2 more cups of the tomato sauce, and remaining ziti. Top with remaining cheese mixture and sauce.

5 Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted. Makes 4 servings