Sausage Stuffed Manicotti With Sun Dried Tomato Sauce Recipes

MANICOTTI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepot over medium heat. Cook the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces, until browned and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve for the filling.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot and cook the onion until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute (the tomato paste will turn a deep maroon color). Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, bay leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Melt the butter into the sauce, remove the bay leaves and stir in 1/3 cup of basil. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature, 40 minutes.
• For the filling: mix together the ricotta, reserved sausage, the remaining 1/3 cup basil, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Fold in 1 cup of the cooled tomato sauce. Place the filling in a large piping bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the manicotti shells until they have softened slightly but still hold their tubular shape, 5 minutes.
• Pour half of the tomato sauce into a broiler-proof 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture. Place the filled shells in the baking dish. Pipe any extra filling along the ends of the shells in the dish. Top with the remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1 cup Parmesan over the top. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the sauce begins to bubble, 40 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, remove the foil and increase the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the manicotti back into the oven to bake until the cheese is browned and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion and bell pepper to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Return pan to heat; bring to a boil. Cook 6 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; stir in black pepper. Add 1/2 cup milk mixture to sausage mixture; stir well.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Spoon about 1/3 cup sausage mixture into each manicotti; arrange manicotti in a single layer in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle mozzarella over manicotti; spread remaining milk mixture evenly over mozzarella. Top milk mixture with pasta sauce, spreading to cover. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until bubbly.

SAUSAGE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine sausage and cottage cheese. Stuff into uncooked manicotti shells. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with marinara sauce. , Cover and bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center of a shell reads 160°., Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 8-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Freeze option: Transfer individual portions of cooled manicotti to freezer containers; freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Transfer to a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high, stirring occasionally; add a little spaghetti sauce if necessary.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Boil manicotti noodles 8 minutes and drain; set aside.
• Meanwhile make the filling by combining sausage, 1 cup mozzarella, 1 cup provolone, breadcrumbs and eggs.
• Pour 3/4 cup sauce into a greased 9x13 baking dish and spread so it covers the whole bottom of the dish.
• Stuff manicotti with the filling.
• Arrange the filled manicotti in the baking dish in a single layer (you may need an additional 8 inch square baking dish for all of the manicotti or use a large lasagna baking dish, if you prefer. Sometimes I freeze the remaining stuffed manicotti shells to use for another meal or snack).
• Top the manicotti with the remaining spaghetti sauce.
• Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes.
• Uncover and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella, provolone and parmesan cheese.
• Bake for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Enjoy.

SHORTCUT SAUSAGE-STUFFED MANICOTTI WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce in dish. To remaining sauce in jar, add water and mix well.
• Cut sausage links in half lengthwise; remove casings. Shape each piece of sausage into roll; stuff into uncooked pasta shell. Place stuffed shells on sauce in dish. Pour remaining pasta sauce mixture over shells.
• Cover tightly with foil; bake 1 hour 20 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses; bake uncovered 10 minutes longer or until cheeses are melted and pasta is tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.