Sausage and Peas Manicotti

An awesome spin for those of you who are Italian food and pasta lovers!

This is a really great stuffed Manicotti. It's a little different then your usual manicotti because it uses sweet Italian sausage instead of meat and instead of stuffing it with regular cheese, its a creamy cheesy sauce made with heavy cream. And the peas just add an extra sweet crunch, that's just an absolute must have in the recipe. I really loved this, and Kev did too :)

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 6 ounces (about 3 cups) grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  
  

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 large or 2 small shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1/4 cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
• 3/4 cup (4 ounces) frozen petite peas, thawed
• 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
  
  

• 12 manicotti shells
• 1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce

• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella

okay, so to start off, boil the manicotti shells in water with a tsp of olive oil so it doesn't stick and about 3 tsp of salt. (pasta water's always suppose to be as salty as the ocean :)
You wanna boil them for about 8-10 minutes or until they're au dente- not too soft.
Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, on a medium pan, medium-heat, cook the sausage in 2 tsp of olive oil, shallots and garlic. After about 20 mins. or when they're beginning to brown, add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan and cook for about 2 more minutes. Turn heat off and add peas and ricotta cheese. Set aside.

Fonduta:On another pan, on medium heat, simmer the milk and heavy cream whisking constantly. Add the ricotta cheese and continue whisking for about 8 minutes. Remove from fire and stir in basil.

Poor about half (1/2 cup) of the fonduta in the pan with the sausage mixture and stir.

In a large baking dish (9x13) spread a little marinara to cover the bottom so the manicotti don't stick.
You have to be very gentle with the manicotti or it'll break easily. Holding them in your hand, began to stuff the manicotti with the sausage mixture and place them in the dish.

Don't over stuff the manicotti, or it'll break. When placing the manicotti, make sure they are tightly together so that it covers the whole bottom of the dish.

Pour marinara to cover the top of the manicotti. Then poor the remaining of the Fonduta (cream sauce) on top.

Sprinkle mozzarella on top and drizzel olive oil over it.

Bake on 350 for 30 minutes.

You'll probably have some left overs but these babies will be good in the fridge for about a week.. and trust me, you'll want to eat them everyday till they're gone!

Hope you enjoy!!! :D