Sausage-stuffed pasta shells with walnut-rosemary breading in Alfredo sauce

I was planning to make homemade ravioli for new years this year, but upon extensive review I found out that it was easy to mess up and rather time consuming. So, borrowing from the idea behind Vegan Dad's sausage stuffed ravioli, and using the Alfredo sauce he cites from the PPK forum, I came up with this. Jackie was impressed with how smoothly and quickly it all went-there was very little clean up. The only catch is you need a food processor for this one. Trust me, it's the best investment a lazy vegan can make to her kitchen.

Pasta Filling
4 Tofurky Italian style sausages (other kinds of seitan/tofu blend sausages might work too)
1 small head garlic
1 tbsp fennel seeds (smashed in a mortar and pestle to release their fragrance)
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or half of that if dried)
1/4 cup fresh italian parsley, chopped
1 onion
1 rib celery
1/2 cup walnuts
oil for cooking

Roast the garlic by wrapping the whole, unpeeled head in tinfoil and heating in a 400 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor, chop the onion and celery finely and heat in a large, oiled skillet over medium heat. Break the sausages up into large chunks into the processor and process until crumbly. Add to pan with onions and celery. Process walnuts until crumbly and add to the pan. Things should be starting to brown by now, adjust heat if necessary. If you have some white wine on hand, now would be the time to add a splash (though be sure to let it evaporate completely). Add the roasted garlic (cloves squished out of the skin, about 3 tbsp all together), fennel, rosemary and parsley and remove from heat. While that's cooling, boil 25 large pasta shells until slightly firm but still edible aka al dente (mine are called conchiglioni) and make the breading.

Breading
1/4 cup vegan margerine
1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs (use another kind if you must, but try it with panko at some point, it really makes all the difference)
1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
1/4 cup processed walnuts
2 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Warm the margerine over medium low heat with the garlic. When fragrant (30 second or so) add the remaining ingredients and toss together. Continute to stir until breadcrumbs are toasted and set aside.

Oil a 9 inch square pan, including the sides. Stuff pasta shells with sausage filling and pack them tightly into the pan. Spoon breading over the filling and press down lightly. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven about 15 minutes to get everything warm again while you whizz together the Alfredo sauce.

I served these by spooning a crescent of sauce on the plate, placing five shells on top of it, and topping with another drizzle across the top. We had raw baby spinach with spicy marinated eggplant, olives and sun-dried tomatoes, and simple steamed green beans as well. It was delish.