Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.

While cooking the pasta, add some extra flavor to the water. This recipe makes about 18 stuffed shells, but be sure to cook 2-3 extra shells to account for any potential breakage.

Cook the jumbo shell pasta according to the package instructions until it reaches an al dente texture. It's advisable to slightly undercook the shells since they'll continue to cook in the oven.

Once cooked, drain the pasta and set it aside to cool down enough for handling.

Prparing the Ricotta Filling: While the pasta is cooking, you can start preparing the filling. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, herbs, pressed garlic, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese, and seasoning. Utilize a fork to blend all the ingredients thoroughly until they are evenly incorporated. Reserve around 1/3 cup of shredded Mozzarella to use for topping.

Adding Ground Beef to the Sauce: To enrich the flavors further, consider adding cooked ground beef to the marinara sauce. Brown the ground beef in a separate pan, then mix it into the marinara sauce before spreading it in the baking dish.

The Baking Process:

Evenly spread approximately 3 cups of the beef-enriched marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.

Fill each shell with about 1.5-2 tablespoons of the ricotta filling and position them in the baking dish. To prevent any filling from spilling out, ensure the shells are seam side up.

Sprinkle some Mozzarella cheese and oregano over each shell, then bake for around 20-25 minutes until the cheese melts and achieves a delightful golden hue.

Prepare to indulge in the savory goodness of your stuffed shells, now enhanced with the rich flavors of the homemade sauce and the addition of delicious ground beef.