Baked Manicotti with Sausage and Peas

I got the idea for this Sunday night dinner from Giada's Baked Manicotti with Sausage and Peas recipes. Unfortunately, I was unable to find manicotti shells without a filling. Therefore I decided to turn the filling into a sauce to pour over the shells. This is a delicious, cheesy dish that anyone is sure to enjoy. 


Ingredients
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed 
1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes 
Jar of your favorite marinara sauce
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
6 Frozen cheese stuffed manicotti
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. 
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, shallots, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are softened; about 8 to 10 minutes. Break up the sausage with wooden spoon along the way. Add the peas and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. 
Set aside about 1/2 cup of marinara sauce. Pour the remaining sauce into the sausage mixture. Add in the crushed red pepper and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. 
Spread the half cup of plain marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange the frozen manicotti in a single layer over the sauce. Pour the sausage mixture over the manicotti shells. Top with mozzarella cheese and a handful of Pecorino Romano cheese . Drizzle with olive oil and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 40 minutes. 

Makes about 3 servings.