Ingredients
- 1 pound medium pasta shells al dente, drained
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
- 4 ounces Cooper C-V Sharp cheese shredded
- 4 ounces muenster cheese shredded
- 4 ounces American or Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 2-3 tablespoons grated Italian cheese we use Locatelli, Parmesan, or Romano
- 1-1¼ pound sweet Italian sausage remove skin from links, break into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon McCormick Italian seasoning or similar seasoning
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet over high heat, lightly brown the sausage, then add the onions and garlic. In the meantime, boil the pasta shells as directed on the box.
- Place the warm pasta shells into a large mixing bowl and add the sausage, parsley, oregano, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and the shredded cheese. With a large mixing spoon, fold the mixture a couple of times, just enough to blend, and then gently blend in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Transfer mixture to a 12 cup casserole dish. (We use two disposable Hefty “EZ Foil” 9”x5”x3” aluminum meatloaf pans, which hold about 6 cups each.) Sprinkle the top with the reserved shredded cheese and some grated cheese. Bake uncovered at 350°F for about 30-35 minutes or until bubbly. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave.
- Notes: The original recipe called for 8 ounces each of three different cheeses (24 ounces total). We use 4 ounces each of four different cheeses (16 ounces total) because we like the casserole to be a little less cheesy and less heavy. You can use more cheese according to your tastes. We use “Jessup Style Sausage” from Quinn’s Market in Peckville. We don’t add any salt because the cheeses are usually more than salty enough.
