Stuffed Shells

By Coldsnap46

At its best, Italian cuisine creates a symphony of flavor from only a few simple ingredients. With rich ground beef, bright San Marzano tomatoes and a classic blend of Italian cheeses, these amazing stuffed shells perfectly embody this timeless culinary sensibility.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dried jumbo pasta shells (about 35 shells)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 28 ounce can San Marzano® tomatoes or whole tomatoes
• 1 15 ounce carton whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 1/3 cups grated or finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 50mins
Cooking time 80mins
Adapted from recipe.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet and a 3-quart oval or rectangular baking dish.

2. Bring a large pot of water, with 1 tablespoon salt added, to boiling. Add pasta shells and cook just until slightly tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta and spread in a single layer on baking sheet to prevent them from sticking together.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add beef and 1 clove of garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 6 to 8 minutes, until no pink remains in beef. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.

4. For tomato sauce, in a second skillet over low heat combine remaining olive oil, remaining garlic, and undrained tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer over low heat; cook for 15 to 20 minutes until thickened somewhat, breaking up tomatoes with the back of spoon.


5. Stir 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce into cooled ground beef, then add ricotta and 2/3 cup of the Parmigiano; stir until combined.


6. Spoon 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce into prepared baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with about 1 tablespoon meat and cheese mixture. Arrange shells in prepared baking dish. Spoon remaining tomato sauce over shells, then sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup cheese.

7. Bake about 30 minutes, until filling is heated through and top is golden brown.