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1
Tomato Mushroom Sauce:
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2
In a frying pan or Dutch oven, cook bacon strips until crisp.
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3
Remove cooked bacon, and drain on paper towels.
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4
Reserve 3 Tablespoons bacon fat and discard the rest.
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5
Using the same frying pan (or Dutch oven), place 3 Tablespoons bacon drippings, mushrooms and garlic into the pan.
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6
Cook mixture over low heat until mushrooms are softened (be careful not to burn the garlic).
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7
Add tomatoes, basil and pepper.
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8
Cook uncovered over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens.
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9
Crumble the bacon and stir it into the sauce, season with a bit of salt (to taste).
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10
While waiting for the pasta water to boil, start the sausage filling.
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11
When water is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook it according to package directions, until it is almost done.
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12
When pasta is cooked, drain it, rinse it with cold water, and drain it again.
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13
Stuff the shells with the sausage ricotta mixture.
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14
Pasta Stuffing: If necessary, remove casings from sausage, and crumble the meat.
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15
In a frying pan, cook crumbled sausage over medium to medium-high heat until its browned.
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16
Drain cooked sausage.
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17
In a bowl, beat egg into ricotta, stir in cooked sausage, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, salt and parsley.
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18
Stuff the cooked shells with the sausage cheese filling.
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19
Bake:
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20
Place about half the sauce into a shallow 1 1/2-quart casserole dish or a 9-inch square baking dish.
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21
Arrange stuffed pasta in sauce lined pan.
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22
Spoon remaining sauce on top of the stuffed pasta.
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23
(At this point, the pasta may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated until the next day*, or baked immediately).
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24
Cover pan with tin foil, and bake in a preheated 350u00b0F for 30-45 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.
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25
Remove from oven, remove foil and sprinkle remaining 4 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese on top of the baked shells.
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26
*NOTE:If stuffed pasta was refrigerated overnight, remove plastic wrap from the pan and cover the pan with tin foil, bake as stated above, but baking time may be 5-15 minutes longer.
