The original recipe for this is from Giada de Laurentis & can be found
here. I changed it up to use chicken sausage in place of ground turkey. This recipe makes enough to feed a crowd; or make two casseroles & freeze one for later. Here's my adapted recipe:
1-12 oz. box jumbo pasta shells
3 T. olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound ground chicken sausage
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed & coarsely chopped
1-15 oz. container ricotta cheese
3/4 c. grated Parmesan
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil leaves
2 T. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
5 cups Marina sauce
1 1/2 c. grated mozzarella
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta &
partially cook, stirring occasionally, about 4-5 minutes. Drain pasta.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions & garlic & cook until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken sausage, salt & pepper & cook until chicken is cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts & stir. Remove from heat &
let cool.
In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, basil & parsley & some salt & pepper. Stir to combine.
Cover the bottom of a 9 x 13inch baking dish (or 2 smaller casseroles) with some of the Marina sauce. Stuff the shells with a large spoonful of the turkey mixture. Place the shells in the baking dish. (I didn't use all of the shells). Drizzle the remaining sauce over the shells & top with the mozzarella cheese. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap & place in the freezer for up to one month.
To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake until the shells are warmed through & the cheese is starting to brown, about 20 minutes (
60 minutes if shells are frozen.)
NOTE: For a quick homemade sauce, I used this
recipe & doubled it. I had enough leftover sauce to freeze for another use.
I am sharing this with:
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
On the Menu Monday