Betty's Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells in Basil Tomato Sauce

Betty demonstrates how to make Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells in Basil Tomato Sauce. This is an Italian-style dish that makes a wonderful main course.

Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells in Basil Tomato Sauce

6-ounce package jumbo pasta shells (I used a 12-ounce package, but only needed half of it.)
large pot of boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt added
½ pound lean ground beef
½ pound Italian sausage
1 medium onion, fairly finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
(2) 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup sweet basil, finely chopped
10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, cooked according to package directions, then drained and squeezed until fairly dry
2 cups low fat ricotta cheese
½ cup mozzarella cheese, finely shredded
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
1 egg, well beaten
½ cup additional mozzarella cheese, finely shredded
¼ cup additional Parmesan cheese, finely shredded

In a deep skillet, brown ground beef and sausage over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Drain off any excess fat and discard. Add onion and cook until clear, stirring constantly, about 5 additional minutes. Add garlic and cook until softened, stirring constantly, about 1 additional minute. Add crushed tomatoes. Return to a boil over medium heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in basil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. While sauce is simmering, cook jumbo pasta shells by adding them to boiling salted water and cooking according to “pre-bake” package instructions, about 9 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together cooked spinach, ricotta cheese, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and beaten egg. Ladle about 1 cup of cooked meat and tomato sauce into a 13-inch by 9-inch by 2-inch baking dish and spread to cover bottom. Place 1 heaping tablespoon spinach and cheese mixture into each of the cooked pasta shells. Placed the stuffed shells in baking dish on top of the 1 cup of meat and tomato sauce. After all shells are placed in baking dish, pour remaining meat and tomato sauce over top of shells. Sprinkle ½ cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese evenly over top. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until top is browned and bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve while hot, along with a green salad and toasted Italian bread. Yum! I hope you enjoy this Italian-style recipe! --Betty ♥

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