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 9×13-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.
