Preheat and prep: Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Cook the pasta: Boil in salted water until very al dente (1–2 minutes less than package directions). Drain and set aside.

Brown the meat: In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds. Add ground meat, season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, and cook until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.

Sauce it up: Pour in marinara and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Simmer 5 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Mix the “ricotta” layer: In a bowl, combine ricotta, Greek yogurt, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the egg if using. Stir until smooth.

Combine pasta and sauce: In the pot, toss the drained pasta with most of the meat sauce, reserving about 1 cup for the top.

Layer the bake: Spread half the sauced pasta in the baking dish. Dollop and gently spread half the ricotta-yogurt mixture. Repeat with remaining pasta and ricotta mixture. Spoon the reserved sauce over the top.

Top with cheese: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over the surface.

Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden.

Rest and serve: Let it rest 10 minutes so it sets. Garnish with torn fresh basil if you like. Slice and enjoy.