Stuffed Shells
like lasanga. but not.
Full Recipe Video:
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
32 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley; finely chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Garlic Powder
1 egg
2 cups fresh mozzarella; cubed
1 lb. uncased sausage
1 cup grated parmesan
1 box jumbo shells pasta (Barilla)
1 jar red sauce (marinara or arrabbiata) or homemade sauce (see: How to Doctor Store Brand Red Sauce)
Butter for greasing baking dish
1 tsp. oregano
Olive oil
Preheat oven to 400.
In a large skillet, coat with a little olive oil and brown your sausage until cooked and finely chopped. Set aside.
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt. While the water is boiling you can start making your shell mixture.
In a large mixing bowl, mix ricotta, mozzarella, parsley, oregano, and egg. Add crumbled sausage and combine. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
Add shells to boiling water and cook for 8 minutes. You don’t want to cook them all the way, as they will continue to cook in the oven. Strain water and add cooked shells to a bowl as you will need them accessible for stuffing.
Butter your baking dish (casserole pan, foil pan, Pyrex will all work) and spread a layer of sauce evenly on the bottom of your dish.
Begin stuffing your shells with your cheese mixture using a tablespoon and place in your baking dish, open side facing up so the cheese stays in the shell. Repeat until dish is full. Spoon another layer of sauce evenly over your shells and grate parmesan cheese over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
To plate, spoon a circle of sauce onto your plate, and serve 2-3 shells per serving. Grate parmesan cheese on top.
Occasions:
A classic Italian dish for the holidays.
GoodCooking’s Picks:
Favorite Pasta Shells: Barilla Jumbo Shells
Favorite store brand red sauces: Trader Joe’s Arrabbiata Sauce, Rao’s Marinara or Arrabbiata
Tools:
Baking Dish: Sur La Table Baker, 4 Qt.
