About
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
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 -Cook the pasta in heavily salted boiling water until al dente according to the package directions.
Step 3 -Drain the pasta shells and transfer them to a baking sheet to cool for 15 minutes.
Step 4 -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.
Step 5 -Stir together the marinara and the barbeque sauce in a bowl.
Step 6 -Spread 1 3/4 cups of the marinara mixture in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Step 7 -Fill each cooled shell with 2 heaping tablespoons of the pork mixture.
Step 8 -Arrange the shells in the prepared baking dish.
Step 9 -Pour the remaining 2 cups of the marinara mixture over the shells.
Step 10 -Sprinkle the shells with the remaining mozzarella.
Step 11 -Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until heated through.
Step 12 -Uncover the baking dish and continue to bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes.
Step 13 -Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve.
