Inside-out Manicotti

Total Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb italian sausage
• 1 (1 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (1 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pint part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 8 ounces dry ziti pasta

Recipe

• 1 cook pasta according to directions; drain.
• 2 in a large skillet, brown together ground beef, italian sausage, onion and garlic; drain.
• 3 stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, fennel seed and salt.
• 4 bring to a boil, then reduce heat to moderately low.
• 5 simmer, covered, for 20 mins.
• 6 in a medium bowl, blend together ricotta, mozzarella, egg, black pepper and nutmeg.
• 7 cover the bottom of a 2-1/2 quart baking dish with about 1 cup of the meat sauce.
• 8 layer with half of the ziti, half of the cheese mixture, 2 more cups of the meat sauce and remaining ziti.
• 9 top with remaining cheese mixture and meat sauce.
• 10 bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted.