STUFFED SHELLS WITH SAUSAGE ‘GRAVY’

Casseroles|Ciao Bella|Italian|Pasta|Pork

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Ingredients

1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage

1 small onion, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

3 ½ cups spaghetti or marinara sauce, homemade or your favorite brand

2 ½ cups whole milk ricotta cheese

1 egg, beaten

10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

¾ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons Dish off the Block Ciao Bella Italian Spice Blend

25-30 jumbo pasta shells, cooked al dente to package directions in salted water (about 15 minutes)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In a large deep oven-proof skillet*, cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spatula into small pieces. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until the sausage is cooked through the onions are soft. Add the spaghetti sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Remove 1 cup of the sauce and set aside. Remove the skillet from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, spinach, ½ cup of the parmesan, 1 cup of the mozzarella, salt, pepper, Ciao Bella Italian seasoning and mix well. Stuff each of shells with about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture to fill. Place the stuffed shells on top of the sauce in the skillet in concentric circles (or you can transfer the sauce to a 9” x 13” baking dish and place the shells in rows in the baking dish instead).

Spread the reserved cup of sauce over the tops of the shells. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of parmesan over the top, followed by the remaining ½ cup of shredded mozzarella. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and begins to lightly brown. Remove and top with the parsley. Serve hot with crusty bread, a green salad, and more parmesan on the side for sprinkling.

*If you do not have an oven proof skillet, simply transfer the sauce to a 9” x 13” baking dish and bake the shells in that dish.