Manicotti with Spicy Sausage
It's easy to fill the uncooked manicotti shells for this zesty pasta bake. I receive compliments on this hearty entree every time I serve it.Works fine with your favorite store bough sauce, or If you want to make it all special, use the Fresh Marinara Sauce recipe below.
Servings 8 Servings
Ingredients
Manicotti
- 1 pound bulk spicy Italian sausage
- 1 can 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 jar Marinara sauce or Fresh Marinara (See Below)
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 can 4 ounces chopped green chilies
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 18 uncooked manicotti shells
- 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Fresh Marinara Sauce
- 3 large carrots finely chopped
- 2 large onions chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- ⅓ cub olive oil
- 15 medium tomatoes (about 6 pounds) peeled & chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil or 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Manicotti
- In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, bring tomatoes and marinara sauce to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, chilies, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder and pepper.
- Divide 2 cups of sauce between two greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dishes. Stuff uncooked manicotti shells with cheese mixture. Place in prepared pans. Sprinkle with sausage; top with remaining sauce.
- Cover and bake at 375° for 50 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and manicotti is tender. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Fresh Marinara Sauce
- In a Dutch oven, saute the carrots, onions and garlic in oil until tender. Add tomatoes and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 1 - 1 ½ Hours or until thickened and reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Store sauce in Ziploc containers
