Recipe: Sausage, Spinach and Cheese-Stuffed Shells (NOT Buca di Beppo's)

Buca di Beppo's recipe is not on the Internet. Here is a recipe you could adapt. Good luck and please share your results with us.

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SAUSAGE, SPINACH AND CHEESE-STUFFED SHELLS

1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells, uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1 pound hot OR sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large egg
1 (16-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) box chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (32-ounce) jar pasta sauce (4 cups), divided

If serving immediately, heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no traces of pink remain, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl lightly beat the egg. Add the ricotta, spinach, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, dried basil, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and the reserved sausage mixture.

Spread 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce over the bottom of each of two 9-by-13-inch or similarly sized shallow baking dishes. Fill each of the reserved shells with some of the sausage and ricotta filling.

Arrange half the shells in each of the baking dishes, then spread half the remaining pasta sauce over each dish of shells. Cover the pans with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbling. Uncover and sprinkle each dish with 1/4 cup remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake 10 minutes.

TO FREEZE AHEAD:
One or both baking dishes can be frozen for up to four months. The dishes should be covered tightly with foil and plastic wrap before freezing. When ready to serve, heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap (leaving the foil) and bake directly from the freezer for 1 hour, or until hot and bubbling. Uncover and sprinkle each dish with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake 10 minutes.

Makes 8 servings
Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch, by Staff Reports, December 31, 2008