Pasta with Beef and Mozarella

1 pound Italian sweet sausage
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 16-oz cans tomato puree
6 oz can tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
basil
salt
8 oz manicotti Shells
4 cups Ricotta cheese
8 oz Mozarella cheese, diced
2 tbsp chopped parsley
grated Parmesan cheese

In covered 5 quart Dutch oven over medium heat in 1/4 cup water, cook sausage links 5 minutes. Uncover, brown well, drain on paper towels
Spoon fat from Dutch oven, over medium heat, brown ground beef and onion well. Stir in tomato puree, tomato paste, sugar, pepper, 1 tsp basil, 1 tsp salt and 1 cup water. Simmer covered, 45 minutes.
Cut sausage into bite sized pieces. Add to mixture cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile cook manicotti as label directs, drain in colander. Preheat oven to 375 deg F.
In large bowl, combine ricotta and mozzarella cheese, parsley, 3/4 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp salt, stuff into shells.
Spoon half of meal sauce into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Place half the shells over sauce in one layer. Spoon remaining sauce except 1/4 cup over shells. Top with remaining shells one layer. Spoon reserved sauce over top. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake 30 minutes.