Stuffed Shells
Ingredients:
1 box (16 oz.) jumbo pasta shells
1 lb. italian sausage, bulk
16 oz. ricotta cheese
1 cup cooked or frozen spinach
1/2 cup grated parmesan reggiano
1 head roasted garlic, or 4-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 large shallot
1 red bell pepper
1 quart marinara sauce
12 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon oregano
1 lb. italian sausage, bulk
16 oz. ricotta cheese
1 cup cooked or frozen spinach
1/2 cup grated parmesan reggiano
1 head roasted garlic, or 4-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 large shallot
1 red bell pepper
1 quart marinara sauce
12 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon oregano
Directions:
In a large pot, cook the shells until they are al-dente (about 9 minutes for the Barilla pasta I prefer). Spread out on a cooking sheet to cool.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage, red pepper flakes, oregano, and fennel seed ono medium heat until crumbly and cooked through. Drain any excess grease. Set the sausage aside and cook the shallots, bell pepper and spinach in the same pan, with a little white wine if desired to deglaze the pan. Add the parmesan cheese and mix together. Put the vegetable mixture and the cooked sausage into the food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture is finely chopped, but not creamed. Let the mixture cool, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a day.
Stir the ricotta into the meat, mixing thoroughly until combined. Cover the bottom of a large (13 x 9 or larger) baking pan with half of the marinara. Stuff each shell with the meat/ricotta mixture (a tablespoon or so for each shell), and arrange them in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with the remainder of the marinara and grated mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes or until cheese is starting to brown and the sauce is bubbly. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread. Eat untl you burst.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage, red pepper flakes, oregano, and fennel seed ono medium heat until crumbly and cooked through. Drain any excess grease. Set the sausage aside and cook the shallots, bell pepper and spinach in the same pan, with a little white wine if desired to deglaze the pan. Add the parmesan cheese and mix together. Put the vegetable mixture and the cooked sausage into the food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture is finely chopped, but not creamed. Let the mixture cool, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a day.
Stir the ricotta into the meat, mixing thoroughly until combined. Cover the bottom of a large (13 x 9 or larger) baking pan with half of the marinara. Stuff each shell with the meat/ricotta mixture (a tablespoon or so for each shell), and arrange them in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with the remainder of the marinara and grated mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes or until cheese is starting to brown and the sauce is bubbly. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread. Eat untl you burst.
Notes:
You can make your own marinara sauce, but since I discovered Rao's marinara, I have stopped making my own. Hard to improve on perfection.
If your italian sausage already has fennel seeds in it, you can reduce or omit them. If you are using hot italian sausage, omit the red pepper flakes. If your local grocery store doesn't stock shallots, you can use onions, then move to a new home in a civilized country.
You can omit the meat and add lots more spinach if you want to make a vegetarian version. In any case, the filling mixture can be used for manicotti as well...but it's not as much fun to eat.
If your italian sausage already has fennel seeds in it, you can reduce or omit them. If you are using hot italian sausage, omit the red pepper flakes. If your local grocery store doesn't stock shallots, you can use onions, then move to a new home in a civilized country.
You can omit the meat and add lots more spinach if you want to make a vegetarian version. In any case, the filling mixture can be used for manicotti as well...but it's not as much fun to eat.