Beef and sausage Manicotti

 I am not Italian.  I've never had manicotti before either.  The recipe we started with here is super vague and we followed only a few of the original proportions.  These were like enchiladas with Italian flavors, individual lasagnas?  It was excellent, we will be making these again.*

3 oz finely diced carrots

3 oz finely diced onion 

2 oz finely diced celery 

2 finely diced garlic

1 lbs ground beef

1/2 lbs sausage

salt and pepper

3 1/2 oz parmesan cheese

2 eggs

Manicotti noodles

Income vague-

Marinara sauce, maybe 3 cups

Ricotta seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, nutmeg, 1 1/2 cups

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large pan over medium heat, heat oil and cook the carrot, onion, and celery for 3-4 minutes

Add the garlic and cook another minute

Add the beef and sausage and season with salt and pepper and cook until done

Set aside and let cool completely 

Add egg and parmesan cheese and stir to combine

Cook the manicotti for 7 minutes at our altitude, check your packaging but undercook them

Remove from the cooking pot to a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet

In a 13 X 9 pan, add 1/3 of your marinara sauce and top with half the ricotta mixture

Carefully spoon filling into the manicotti tubes and set into the pan

Repeat until all the noodles are filled

Top with the ricotta and then add the rest of the marinara sauce

Top with cheese

Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until everything is hot and bubbly

* We used ricotta since we had some in the fridge to use up.  The original recipe called for bechamel sauce instead.