How to Make Italian Sausage-Stuffed Manicotti

Italian sausage combined with traditional flavors makes this manicotti dish a crowd-pleaser.

Lovers of Italian sausage will enjoy this hearty and delicious version of stuffed manicotti. To prepare all the ingredients for the oven takes approximately two hours, but is well worth it. Sausage-stuffed manicotti tastes even better when reheated, but don't expect to have any leftovers -- whether you serve it to family or guests.

Things You'll Need

• 1 lb. Italian sausage without casing
• 1 box manicotti pasta
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup frozen, chopped spinach
• 4 oz. can sliced or chopped mushrooms
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 medium eggs
• 15 oz. ricotta cheese
• 1 tbsp. dried basil
• 26 oz. garlic-flavored spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Saucepan or pasta pot
• Skillet or frying pan
• Large mixing bowl
• Baking dish, 9 inches by 13 inches
• Large colander
• Cheese grater
• Aluminum foil
• Wax paper
• Large spatula

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray the inside of a baking dish lightly with cooking spray.

2. Fill a saucepan or pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the manicotti tubes carefully to the water. Cook the manicotti for seven minutes or until flexible and tender.

3. Drain the manicotti in a colander and rinse under cold water. Set a large, rectangular sheet of wax paper on a flat surface, and arrange the manicotti in a single layer on the wax paper to save until ready to stuff.

4. Spray the inside of a skillet with cooking spray. Lightly brown the Italian sausage over medium heat. Drain the fat, and place the cooked sausage into a mixing bowl.

5. Drain the mushrooms. Clean the skillet, and spray it with cooking spray. Add 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Add the spinach and cook over medium heat one minute, stirring gently. Add the mushrooms and minced garlic to the spinach and cook over medium heat for five minutes, stirring gently. Remove from heat.

6. Beat the eggs, and add them to the sausage in the mixing bowl. Add the ricotta and basil and mix well. Stir in the spinach-mushroom-and-garlic mixture.

7. Pour about 1/4 of the sauce into a baking dish.

8. Using your hands, gently fill one manicotti tube at a time with the sausage mixture. Place each tube in the layer of sauce in the baking dish. Start on one side, and nestle them against one another, but do not overlap. Don't worry if the tubes tear slightly or down one side. Nestling them will prevent most of the filling from falling out. Set badly torn tubes aside. You might have more tubes than you need.

9. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the filled tubes. Pour the remaining spaghetti sauce over them.

10. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and remove the foil.

11. Grate the mozzarella cheese, and sprinkle it over the top of the manicotti. Return to the oven for five minutes or until the cheese melts.

12. Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to separate the tubes for serving and better presentation on each plate. Serves six people.

Tips & Warnings

• Extra garlic may be added the filling mixture for a more Italian flavor.

• 2 tbsp. of sugar may be added to the sauce for those who prefer a sweet sauce.

• Fresh spinach may be chopped and substituted for frozen.

• Fresh basil may be chopped and substituted for frozen and may also be used as a garnish.

• Provide onion salt at the table for an extra kick of flavor to each individual's taste.

• For those sensitive to cow's milk, goat cheese may be substituted for ricotta, and Romano cheese may be substituted for Parmesan. Mozzarella may be omitted. Flavor will be slightly altered.