Zucchini Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage

Ingredients

• 25 large pasta shells cooked to package instructions
• 2 large zucchini
• 1 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated Mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 pound Italian Sausage
• 1 24- ounce jar marinara or spaghetti sauce
• fresh parsley for garnish if desired

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling into very small pieces. Drain grease from the sausage and stir in the spaghetti sauce. Bring to a boil, then turn to low and simmer until ready to use.
• Grate the zucchini using a cheese grater or food processor. Gather up shredded zucchini into a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine Ricotta, egg, Parmesan cheese and 1/2 of the Mozzarella cheese. Stir in a pinch of salt and pepper. Fold in zucchini.
• Spoon half of the spaghetti sauce with the sausage into the preparred baking dish, spreading around to coat the bottom of the dish.
• Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, fill pasta shells with the zucchini/cheese mixture. Arrange in a single layer in the baking dish on top of the sauce.
• Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the grated Mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in the 350 degree oven for 15-30 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.