Adelia's Inside-Out Ravioli

'What is Inside-Out Ravioli'?  This is what I asked Adelia's son, Al, when he told me that his mom made the dish for everybody in his office during tax season. Adelia created a hearty crowd-pleaser by baking together pasta, spinach, and mozzarella smothered in her rich and meaty sauce. 

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds of shell pasta ('conchiglie')
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 boxes frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
8-10 meatballs, chopped  (recipe follows)
4-6 cups Adelia's Meat Sauce (recipe follows)

Cook pasta, drain well, and put into a very large mixing bowl
Add enough sauce to thoroughly coat pasta and mix well.
Add spinach and chopped meatballs.
Add more sauce and mix.
Add mozzarella cheese and mix it in.
Pour into a large baking dish (13x9) and top with more sauce.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

Here are the Harsars enjoying Adelia's sauce at Sunday dinner in the early 1980s.
Sauce:
1 large can (28 oz) of Italian Sauce (such as Contadina or Dei Fratelli)
2 large cans (28 0z each) of regular sauce
1 medium can (15 oz) of Italian sauce
1 medium can (15 oz) of regular sauce
2 small cans or 1 large can of tomato paste
1/2-1/3 cup of olive oil

Put the tomato sauces in a large pot.
When it comes to a boil, add the paste and stir until it dissolves.
Lower heat and simmer.
Meatballs and Ribs (to be added to the sauce)
2 1/2 pounds of ground meat:  1 #ground pork, 3/4# ground beef, 3/4# ground veal)
2 eggs
2 handfuls bread crumbs
2 teaspoons of salt
Pepper and garlic powder to taste
2 or 3 western style ribs
Mix all meatball ingredients together.
Form into meatballs.
Should make about 25 meatballs.
To prepare: add 1/2 cup of olive oil to a large skillet.  When warm, add the meatballs and brown.
In a smaller skillet, use 1/3 cup of olive oil and add the ribs.
Season meat to taste and brown.
When meat is done, place the meatballs and ribs into the sauce.
Stir occasionally, simmering for 2-2 1/2 hours.

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