Italian Meatballs Wrapped in Jumbo Pasta Shells

For The Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 425º.

Mix all of the meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl thoroughly by hand. Roll into 1″ size balls and place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for about 17-20 minutes or until browned on both sides, turning halfway through. Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil to keep it warm. Set aside.

Adjust the heat in the oven to 375º.

For The Sauce:

In a large sauce pan over medium-high heat add the oil, then saute the garlic until fragrant. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Stir occasionally and simmer for about 30 minutes and remove from heat.

For The Filling:

Using a food processor (or by hand if chopping makes you happy), pulse the jack cheese, Muenster, parmesan cheese and basil until relatively fine; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the Ricotta, cream cheese, and egg – then add half of the dry cheese mixture in, stirring to combine. The other half of the dry cheese will go on top before baking. So set it aside for now.

To Assemble:

Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9X13 glass pan. Coat the inside of each pasta shell with about a teaspoon of ricotta mixture, then add a meatball. Wrap the shell around the meatball and place it in the baking dish. Continue with the rest of the shells, filling and meatballs. Pour the remaining sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 375F for about 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.