Spicy Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells
CopyCat Buca di Beppo Restaurant Recipe
Makes 2 full 11" Casserole dishes [ 2 full boxes of jumbo shells]- [feeds 8-10]
1 box of large pasta shells
1 pound Italian sausage
1 (32 oz.) carton of Ricotta cheese
1.5 tsp dried basil
12 ounces frozen spinach with the water squeezed out
5 cloves garlic minced [1.5 tsp garlic powder]
3 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 (32 oz.) carton of Ricotta cheese
1.5 tsp dried basil
12 ounces frozen spinach with the water squeezed out
5 cloves garlic minced [1.5 tsp garlic powder]
3 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
2 quarts of your favorite pasta sauce-- or my Traditional Italian Marinara Sauce [like they serve it with at the restaurant]
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add the shells and cook for 15 minutes. The shells will not be done completely. Drain the shells and run cold water over them.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add the shells and cook for 15 minutes. The shells will not be done completely. Drain the shells and run cold water over them.
Put a large frying pan over medium heat, add the sausage and crushed red peppers (depending how spicy you want it you can use as little or as much red pepper as you desire) and cook sausage thoroughly, breaking into very small pieces.
In a large bowl combine the ricotta cheese the shredded Italian cheese blend, garlic, basil and spinach then mix well. Add cooked [and drained] 1 pound Italian sausage with 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper already added.
Place 1 cup cup of pasta sauce into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. With a spoon coat the bottom of the pan with the pasta sauce.
Take each pasta shell individually and stuff with the cheese mixture, it will take about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mixture for each shell. Lay the shells into the pan coated with sauce, open side up. Continue until the baking dish if full. Pour what remains of the first quart of pasta sauce over the top of the shells. You will have enough ingredients to fill another pan so repeat the above steps.
Cover baking dish in foil and place into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
Take each pasta shell individually and stuff with the cheese mixture, it will take about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mixture for each shell. Lay the shells into the pan coated with sauce, open side up. Continue until the baking dish if full. Pour what remains of the first quart of pasta sauce over the top of the shells. You will have enough ingredients to fill another pan so repeat the above steps.
Cover baking dish in foil and place into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.