Pizza Stuffed Shells

 Inspired by a commercial for Olive Garden that made Keith drool! It is, of course, delicious served with Olive Garden green salad & breadsticks 

1 box large pasta shells

16 oz ricotta

1/4 cup pesto

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bag frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 cup shredded mozzarella 

1 egg

1 pound Italian sausage

1/2 onion, chopped

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup chopped pepperoni

1 small can sliced black olives

Preheat oven to 375 degrees & grease a 9x13 baking dish

Mix together filling ingredients (ricotta through egg) in a large bowl

Bring a large pot of water to boil & cook pasta Al dente per box instructions 

For sauce, sauté onions & sausage until browned & cooked through  Stir in pasta sauce

To assemble, spread 1/2 of sauce in bottom of baking dish.  Fill each shell with filling & assemble in baking dish  Top stuffed shells with remaining sauce  Top with mozzarella, pepperoni, & olives

Cover pan with tinfoil & bake for 45 minutes, removing foil for last 10 minutes of baking