Stuffed Pasta Shells

Stuffed Pasta Shells Jumbo Pasta shells, cooked al-dente 1 Cup Italian seasoned Panko bread crumbs 1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese, for topping Meat Sauce: 1 lbs ground lean beef 1 lb package, Uncooked Italian sausage casing removed (Optional) 1 large onion, diced 2 tsp minced garlic Salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp pepper paste 1 (15oz) jar of pasta sauce, or 1 (15oz) can diced Tomatoes + 1 (6oz) tomato sauce 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp fresh basil, chopped In a large skillet, cook the beef and sausage until browned. Add the onions and garlic. Sauté the mixture until onions are translucent and meat is thoroughly cooked. Add the rest of the ingredients for the sauce and simmer until sauce it thickened. Remove from heat and set aside. Ricotta filling: 1 Lb Ricotta cheese 1/2 Cup shredded Mozzarella 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan 1 Egg 2 Tbls Italian flat leaf Parsley, minced Salt and Pepper to taste 1/4 Cup onion, minced 1 Tsp granulated Garlic, (NOT GARLIC SALT) In a bowl mix together the ricotta, egg, parsley, mozzarella, 1/2 cup of parmesan and the remaining ingredients. Set aside To Assemble: Cook the pasta shells al-dente. In a 9X13 baking dish, sprinkle half of the bread crumbs, spoon on a thin layer of meat sauce. Fill the pasta shells with 2 tablespoons of Ricotta filling and arrange them filled side up in the prepared baking dish. Top with more meat sauce, sprinkle the shredded parmesan on top of the sauce then sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs on top. Bake in a 375°F preheated oven for about 20 minutes uncovered. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.