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Charming Casserole

Time :1 hour 10 minutes
Yield :6 servings
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Well, isn't this just a delightful spin on the classic pasta bake? Charming Casserole will dazzle you from the start by stuffing tender jumbo pasta shells with a creamy, tangy, savory cream filling with bites of pork mixed in. Coating it on all sides is a surprising combination: rich marinara sauce and smoky-sweet barbeque sauce. Yet that's just part of the charm of Charming Casserole: you'll be stunned and swooning over the enchanting flavor!
Well, isn't this just a delightful spin on the classic pasta bake? Charming Casserole will dazzle you from the start by stuffing tender jumbo pasta shells with a creamy, tangy, savory cream filling with bites of pork mixed in. Coating it on all sides is a surprising combination: rich marinara sauce and smoky-sweet barbeque sauce. Yet that's just part of the charm of Charming Casserole: you'll be stunned and swooning over the enchanting flavor!

Ingredients

  • 24 jumbo pasta shells uncooked
  • 1 pound smoked pork chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese
  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded and divided
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley divided
  • 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • 3/4 cup bottled barbeque sauce

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Cook the pasta in heavily salted boiling water until al dente according to the package directions.
  • Drain the pasta shells and transfer them to a baking sheet to cool for 15 minutes.
  • Stir together the smoked pork, the ricotta cheese, the breadcrumbs, the garlic, the salt, the pepper, the red pepper, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of the parsley in a large bowl.
  • Stir together the marinara and the barbeque sauce in a bowl.
  • Spread 1 3/4 cups of the marinara mixture in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • Fill each cooled shell with 2 heaping tablespoons of the pork mixture.
  • Arrange the shells in the prepared baking dish.
  • Pour the remaining 2 cups of the marinara mixture over the shells.
  • Sprinkle the shells with the remaining mozzarella.
  • Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until heated through.
  • Uncover the baking dish and continue to bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve.
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