Italian Pasta Bake

2 loaves of day-old Italian bread – torn into ¼ inch thick pieces (try to use the middle pieces rather than the crust for softness)
1 pound ziti pasta
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup frozen peas
28 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound mozzarella cheese cut into ½ inch cubes
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt

Heat oven to 375*. Spray a 10 inch spring form pan with PAM.

Line the bottom and sides of the pan with bread pieces, fitting them tightly together. (reserve several for the top)

In a large pot of boiling salted water cook the pasta until al dente.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in the peas and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and cream, mixing until combines, and bring to a simmer. Set aside 1 cup of the sauce.

Drain the pasta add the sauce in the skillet and toss to coat. Stir in mozzarella and half of the parmesan. Season with salt. Pour the pasta into the bread-lined pan, pressing down with a wooden spoon. Cover with the remaining bread slices. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan on top and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.

Bake the pasta until golden and crusty, about 40 minutes (loosely cover it with foil if you want to prevent super dark browning) Let cool for about 30 minutes, then unmold an slice. Serve with reserved tomato sauce and extra parmesan.

**This is from Rachel Ray - in her words, YUM-O!**