Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta, cooking it until just al dente (usually 1-2 minutes less than the package suggests, since it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain the pasta and set aside—I like to toss it with a splash of olive oil to prevent sticking while you prepare the other components.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crumbled Italian sausage and cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until it's browned and no longer pink. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add the sliced zucchini and dried oregano, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes until the zucchini begins to soften. Drain any excess liquid from the pan using a colander or by tilting the pan and pressing the meat with a spoon—this prevents the final dish from becoming watery.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta from Step 1 with the sausage and vegetable mixture from Step 2. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir well to coat everything evenly. Add the cottage cheese and 1 cup of the cheese, folding gently until fully incorporated. The small curd cottage cheese provides a creamier texture compared to large curd varieties.

Transfer the pasta mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish, spreading it evenly. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese, distributing it evenly across the surface. Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the top begins to turn golden brown. Let the bake rest for 5 minutes after removing from the oven—this helps the layers set and makes serving cleaner.

Top the warm pasta bake with fresh basil just before serving, tearing it by hand for better flavor release compared to cutting with a knife.