Provolone Pasta

If you're looking for a new pasta dish to feed your crew, give this a try.  Not only will this dish feed a crowd, but it's good enough to entertain a crowd as well.  It's one of our favorite dishes, and it freezes well too!  A sweet friend passed on this recipe years ago...and we're so grateful!  YUM!

Provolone Pasta

2 lbs bulk Italian sausage
1 lb Medium Shells
16 oz Cottage Cheese
2 cans Sliced Stewed Tomatoes
26 oz (about 3 cups) Pasta or Marinara sauce
1 jar (or can) sliced mushrooms (optional)
8 oz sour cream
2 cups shredded Mozzarella
1 lb sliced Provolone

Preheat oven to 350*

Brown sausage, drain, set aside.  In large pot, boil shells just shy of al dente.  Drain.  In same pot, mix shells, sausage, pasta sauce, cottage cheese, mushrooms, and stewed tomatoes.  In very large baking dish (deep 9 x 13 or larger), place half of pasta mixture on bottom of dish.  Then place dollops of half the sour cream randomly over pasta.  Sprinkle half of the mozzarella over sour cream.  Then, add half of the Provolone slices to cover.  Now repeat layers.  Pasta mixture, sour cream, mozzarella, and top with sliced Provolone. 

Cover with foil, but spray underside of foil before covering to prevent cheese from sticking to foil.  Bake for 1 hour.  Remove foil the last 10-15 minutes of baking to slightly brown the top.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.  Serve with a salad and warm bread and you've got a delicious feast!

Serves 12+

*If you're a smaller family, make the whole recipe, split it in half (or fourths) and put it in the freezer for later...or bless a neighbor, or a new mom, or a sick family.  You get the picture!  :)