Italian Recipes - Hearty Manicotti

HEARTY MANICOTTI

Ingredients : -

1. 1 lb. Italian sweet sausage links
2. 1 lb. ground beef
3. 1 medium onion, chopped
4. 2 16 oz. cans tomato puree
5. 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
6. 1 tsp. sugar
7. 1/2 tsp. pepper
8. 2 tbsp. parsley, chopped basil
9. salt
10. 1 8 oz. package manicotti shells
11. 4 cups ricotta cheese
12. 1 8 oz. package mozzarella cheese
13. Parmesan cheese

Method : 

• In covered 5 quart Dutch oven. Over medium heat, in 1/4 cup water, cook sausage links 5 minutes. Uncover, brown well, drain on paper towel.
• Spoon fat from Dutch oven. over medium heat brown ground beef and onions, stir in tomato puree, paste, sugar, pepper, 1 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. salt, 1 cup water; simmer, covered 45 minutes.
• Cut sausage into bite-size pieces; add to mixture and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook manicotti as label directs; drain. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine ricotta and mozzarella (diced) cheeses, parsley, 3/4 tsp. basil, 1/2 tsp salt; stuff into shells.
• Spoon half of meat sauce into 13" x 9" baking dish. Place half of shells over sauce in one layer. Spoon remaining sauce, except 3/4 cup, over shells, top with remaining shells in one layer.
• Spoon reserved meat sauce over top. Sprinkle with parmesan. 
• Bake 30 minutes.