Super Stuffed Pasta Shells

I got this recipe from a noon-time cooking show out of Salt Lake City, Utah...I think he (the chef) was called the Gabby Gourmet. This recipe makes enough for 8-10 generous servings and freezes well.

Sauce:
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1 lb mild (sweet) Italian sausage
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp fennel seed
2 cans (28oz) Italian-style tomatoes, with juice (these are plum-tomatoes)
2 cans (6oz) tomato paste
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
2 Tbls dried parsley flakes
3 Tbls sugar

Filling:
2 lbs fresh Ricotta cheese (small curd cottage cheese works great too)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbls sugar
1 1/2 lbs Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Topping:
1/2 lb Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large saucepan, comgine the ground bee, sausage (remove and discard the casings), onion, fennel and garlic. Brown this mixture over a medium-high heat. Drain off the rendered grease and discard. Add teh tomatoes, breaking up as you add, and all the remaining sauce ingredients. Let this mixture simmer over a low heart about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. During this cooking period, prepare the filling mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Ricotta, eggs, sugar and parsley flakes. Beat this mixture until smooth. Beat int he Mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and set aside. Following the package directions, boil the shells in 8 quarts of boiling water until just about done. Drain and place in cold water. Pour a small amount of the sauce into ta large shallow baking dish or pan and spread over the bottom. Fill the shells generously with the filling mixture and set over the layer of sauce. Cover all filled shells with more of the sauce, reserving about 1 1/2 cups. Bake the shells in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes. Then remove the from the oven, top with the reserved sauce and the topping mixture of cheeses. Return to the oven until all topping cheeses have melted. Enjoy!