Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, dried Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well until smooth.
In a large baking dish (about 9×13 inches), spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly on the bottom.
Add half of the cooked ziti pasta over the sauce layer.
Spread half of the ricotta mixture evenly over the pasta layer.
Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese over the ricotta layer.
Pour 2 cups of marinara sauce over the cheese layer.
Repeat layers with the remaining pasta, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, Parmesan, and marinara sauce.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
To make ahead and refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Bake covered for 35 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes until bubbly and golden.
To make ahead and freeze: Cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, bake covered at 375°F (190°C) for 60 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired and serve warm.