Denise’s Kitchen

There’s a good reason why this picture of stuffed shells is half eaten. After writing about my mother’s Sunday Gravy last week on Bay Area Bites, I was really in the mood for a hearty Italian dish. Although I was tempted to make the gravy itself, I was too exhausted after adopting a puppy last Saturday. Bolognese seemed a nice compromise, and what better way to eat it than with stuffed shells. By the time the dish was finished, my family and I didn’t waste a moment before we dug into this cheesy dish topped with a slow-simmered meat sauce. It wasn’t until we were done eating and I was sipping what remained of my glass of red wine that I realized I forgot to take the picture. Oops.

Stuffed shells is one of those great dishes that looks difficult, but is actually very easy. After making a simple beef Bolognese, it’s just a matter of cooking the shell pasta until it’s al dente and then stuffing them. You can even make everything a day ahead, and then assemble when ready to bake.

My baked stuffed shells with Bolognese really hit the spot, satisfying my craving for a rich Italian meaty sauce without all the work of making a traditional gravy.

Simple Beef Bolognese

1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 pound ground beef (preferably not too lean)
1 medium onion diced into small pieces
1 medium carrot diced into small pieces
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 small can tomato paste
1 (16-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, with the juices
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef or chicken broth or water
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp fresh basil chopped

Preparation

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or pan (I like to use cast iron or a Le Creuset)
2. Add onion, carrots, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat or until vegetables are soft.
3. Add meat and cook until it is lightly browned
4. Incorporate the tomato paste and herbs into the meat and cook for another five minutes
5. Add the wine and broth or water and stir, being sure to scrape the pan to deglaze any meat or tomato juices from the bottom
6. Add the tomatoes and some salt and pepper to taste
7. Simmer covered for at least an hour, preferably a little longer

Stuffed Shells

1 box of large pasta shells
1 8-ounce container of fresh ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 Tbsp fresh parsley or basil
Salt and Pepper
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Note: Double the ricotta cheese, egg, and Parmesan cheese if you want the dish to be extra cheesy.

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cook pasta in salted water until it’s al dente
3. Rinse pasta under cool water
4. Mix the ricotta cheese, egg, herbs, and some salt and pepper together in a bowl
5. Ladle some of the Bolognese sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish and set aside
6. Stuff each shell with some of the ricotta mixture and then place in the prepared baking dish
7. Cover the stuffed shells enough sauce to cover the pasta
8. Top with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese
9. Cover with aluminum foil, oiled on the bottom side
10. Bake for 35 minutes covered, and then 10-15 more minutes uncovered or until the cheese are bubbling and the dish looks done.
11. Serve with any extra Bolognese sauce