TOMATO SAUCE:

1/2 c. olive or salad oil
2 c. finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 (1 lb.) cans tomato puree
2 (2 lb. 3 oz.) cans Italian plum tomatoes, undrained
1/4 c. chopped parsley
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. salt
3 tsp. dried oregano leaves
2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. fennel seed
2 c. water

FILLING:

1/3 c. olive or salad oil
2 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 1/2 lbs. ground chuck
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, finely chopped
1 (8 oz.) pkg. mozzarella cheese
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. manicotti shells (16 shells ea.)
2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. mozzarella cheese
Parsley

1. Make tomato sauce. In 1/2 cup hot oil in a 5 quart Dutch oven or kettle, saute 2 cups onions and 2 cloves garlic until tender, 5 minutes.

2. Add remaining sauce ingredients (mash tomatoes with a fork) and 2 cups water. Bring to boil, lower heat; simmer, covered and stirring occasionally 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, make filling. In 1/3 cup hot oil in large skillet, saute onions and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes, turn into large bowl.

4. In same skillet, brown chuck, stirring to break up with wooden spoon, until well browned, about 20 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to onion mixture. Add egg, salt, herbs, pepper, chopped spinach and 3 cups sauce. Mix well.

5. Coarsely grate 1 package mozzarella; stir into meat mixture.

6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In about 6 quarts rapidly boiling salted water carefully place manicotti, a few at a time, stirring gently. Boil 2 minutes just to soften; drain. With small spoon fill manicotti with meat mixture; set aside.

7. Spoon a third of sauce into bottom of a large round cake pan, 16 1/2" in diameter, 2" deep. Arrange spoke fashion half of the filled shells on top of sauce (see note). Cover with a third of sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place remaining manicotti on top spoke fashion. Top with the remaining sauce, arrange slices of mozzarella cheese on top of manicotti. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

8. Cover tightly with foil. Bake 60 minutes. Remove foil, bake, uncovered, 15 minutes or until bubbly if desired. Sprinkle with Parmesan and chopped parsley before serving.

NOTE: Two 9"x13"x2" baking pans may be used; divide manicotti, sauce and cheese between the two pans. Bake, covered 40 minutes, uncovered 10 minutes.

Sauce and filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Cook manicotti shells and assemble before baking.