Baked Stuffed Tufoli

-MEAT BALLS

--= --- 1 1/2 lb ground beef chuck

1/2 lb ground pork

1/2 c chopped onion

1/4 c minced parsey

1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

2 tb bread crumbs

2 tb oil

2 eggs

1 Clove garlic; minced

2 ts salt

1/4 ts pepper

olive oil

TOMATO SAUCE

-= --- 1/4 c oil

1/4 c chopped onion

1/4 c chopped green pepper

1 Clove garlic; minced

1 cn (6-oz) broiled mushrooms

4 cn (6-oz) tomato paste

1 cn (#2-1/2) Italian plum

-tomatoes 1 ts sugar

2 ts salt

1/4 ts pepper

MAKING THE CASSEROLE
-= --- 1 lb tufoli (large tube macaroni)

meat balls from step #1 1 -(up to)

1 1/2 pk frozen chopped spinach

1 ts salt

1/2 c Parmesan cheese

1 egg

tomato sauce recipe

Mix all ingredients for meat balls together thoroughly, except the last, olive oil. Form into medium sized balls: brown in oil. Set aside and cook in tomato sauce later.

To make tomato sauce: Heat the oil: add onion, green pepper, garlic, mushrooms (drained and halved) and saut=82 until golden. Stir in tomato paste; cook for 4 minutes. Press plum tomatoes through a strainer; add an equal amount of water. Combine with tomato paste mixture. Add sugar, sal= t and pepper. Bring to a boil; add meatballs and cook over low heat 1-1/2 hours or until sauce thickens slightly. Remove meatballs and put aside.

Cook tufoli in 6 quarts boiling, salted water for 12 to 15 minutes or until almost tender. Mash meat balls in a bowl. Add spinach (drained an= d finely chopped), salt, 2 tablespoons cheese and the egg, mixing well. Stuff this mixture into cooked tufoli. Cover bottom of a large casserole with half of sauce and arrange alternate layers of stufted tufoli and sauce, sprinkling each layer with cheese; finish with sauce. Cover dish and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes. Serve with extra sauce and cheese. Serves 6 very generously.

Source: A Taste of Louisiana.

From Glen Hosey's Recipe Collection Program, hosey@erols.com

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