For the Sauce:
- dash salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 1/2 cup grated zucchini
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1can tomato paste
- 1 10-ounce can tomatoes with chilis
- 1 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- Freshly ground pepper
- sliced beef sausage/kielbasa (browned)
- 1 cup water
For the Shells:
- 1 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells
- 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- dash onion powder
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot, zucchini, onion and celery seed and saute until soft but not brown, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the basil, oregano, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Saute sausage in separate pan then add to sause,Meanwhile, prepare the shells: Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 8 minutes; drain. Mix the spinach, cottage cheese, parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, the egg, onion powder and garlic in a medium bowl and season with salt and white pepper.
Mist a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Stuff the cheese mixture into the shells and place in the baking dish, open-side up. Pour the sauce over the shells. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
