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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.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
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