Sausage-stuffed Manicotti

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 12 dried manicotti pasta
• 1 lb bulk italian sausage
• 1 (15 ounce) carton ricotta cheese
• 1 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese (4 oz.)
• 2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
• 3 cups purchased marinara sauce
• 1 1/2 cups shredded smoked mozzarella cheese (6 oz.)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°.
• 2 cook pasta according to package directions; drain well.
• 3 place pasta in a single layer on a sheet of greased foil.
• 4 meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until brown; drain off fat.
• 5 in a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and basil; stir in cooked sausage; taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• 6 using a small spoon, fill pasta with sausage mixture.
• 7 arrange filled pasta in an ungreased 3-quart rectangular baking dish.
• 8 pour marinara sauce over pasta; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
• 9 bake, covered, for 20 minutes.
• 10 bake, uncovered, about 10 minutes more or until mixture is heated through and cheese is melted.