This is the kind of hearty, show-stopper Italian dinner I like to make once in a while. Not a million miles away from Lasagna Rolls, this pepperoni-fueled version is from Cook’s Country Best Country Recipes. I made this at the beginning of April, but we’re still having some cold enough nights to make this worthwhile.

Ingredients

MEAT SAUCE:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 ounces sliced deli pepperoni
• 1 lb. 85% lean ground beef
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• Salt and pepper

MANICOTTI

• 3 cups ricotta cheese
• 2.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1.5 cups shredded provolone cheese
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 16 no-boil lasagna noodles (it’s really important to use no-boil noodles for this, and it cuts prep time significantly)

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