Cannelloni

Our daughter, Melissa makes the most incredible cannelloni – loaded with meat.  So good!!!  This recipe is my version of cannelloni.   The difference between cannelloni and manicotti is the shell.  Cannelloni is a made with a sturdier pasta, making it suitable to hold heavy fillings.

• ½ c olive oil
• 12 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 28 oz cans of plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 2/3 c fresh basil, cut into strips

In a large pan, place garlic and oil over medium heat and cook for one minute. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add basil and cook for five minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

• 1 lb. cannelloni shells
• 1 lb. sausage, no casing
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 16 ozs. cream cheese
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 20 ozs. fresh chopped spinach
• 3 c breadcrumbs
• 1 c parmesan cheese
• 3 c mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook shells according to package directions and drain.  Place cooked shells on wax paper.  Place a layer of sauce on the bottom of a baking pan and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onion over medium heat until the sausage is fully cooked. Remove from heat and turn of the stove.  Remove the mixture to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and discard the grease.  Return the sausage to the skillet.  Add the cream cheese and eggs and mix well.  Stir in spinach, breadcrumbs and 1 1/2 c mozzarella cheese. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.           

Fill the cooked shells and place on top of the sauce in the prepared baking pan.  Pour some sauce over the cannelloni (reserving some for serving) and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and then the remaining  1 1/2 c mozzarella cheese.  Place in the middle of the oven and cook for half an hour.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh, chopped parsley.