Italian Sausage & Ricotta Stuffed Jumbo Shells

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Bring 4 quarts (3.8 liters) of lightly salted water to a boil. Add shells to water, return water to a gentle boil and cook for 4 minutes (shells will be softened, but not fully cooked). Drain and transfer shells onto a sheet of wax paper and allow to cool.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add garlic and cook until it begins to brown, about 1 minute. Add Italian sausage and cook until browned. While cooking, break apart the sausage to create small "crumbles." Remove from heat and let cool.
4. In a mixing bowl, stir together Italian sausage, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil, and salt & pepper until thoroughly combined. Pour 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a shallow 8" x 8" baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell with a generous amount of the sausage and ricotta mixture, and place in the baking dish.
5. Cover with the remaining sauce and bake covered with aluminum foil for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top begins to brown and the sauce begins to bubble, another 10-15 minutes. Top with Parmesan and serve warm. Enjoy!