Stuffed Shells with Vodka-Tomato Cream Sauce

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To give the standard stuffed shells recipe new life, we improved the ricotta filling, adding flavor by stirring in mint and peas and making it less watery and more creamy simply by adding an egg. We discovered that covering the casserole dish tightly with foil, so that the trapped steam would keep the pasta pliable, was another key to an improved stuffed shells recipe. Seeking to give the sauce a little punch, we then added some vodka, making a classic Italian vodka sauce. The heat and intensity of the vodka mellows as the sauce simmers, but it leaves behind a welcome clean, sharp flavor.

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Ingredients

  • to 2 Assemble the casserole as directed, but do not bake. Wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
  • 6 to 8 8
  • 12-ounce to the shells will inevitably tear as they boil; however, there are usually more than enough shells in a 12-ounce box to accommodate this recipe.
  • Ingredients
  • Salt
  • 1 1 box 1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells
  • Filling
  • 16 16 2 ounces whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)
  • 1 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 ounces mozzarella cheese , shredded (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 1 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 2 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
  • 1 1 1 large egg , lightly beaten
  • 1 1 to medium garlic clove , minced to a paste or pressed through a garlic press
  • Ground black pepper
  • Sauce
  • 2 2 cans 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 1 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 2 2 medium garlic cloves , minced
  • or pressed through a garlic press
  • 1/4 1/4 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup vodka
  • 1 1 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 1/4 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 1/2 1/4 ounce Parmesan cheese , grated (about 1/4 cup)

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and the shells; cook, stirring occasionally, until almost al dente. Drain the shells and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool. Using a dinner fork, pry apart any shells that have clung together, discarding any that are badly torn (you should have 30 to 33 good shells).

2. FOR THE FILLING: Mix the ricotta, mozzarella, peas, mint, egg, garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl. Spoon a tablespoon of the filling into each shell and arrange them, seam-side down, into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish (or a shallow casserole dish of similar size). Cover the filled shells loosely with damp paper towels and set aside.

3. FOR THE SAUCE: Puree the canned tomatoes with their juice in a food processor fitted with the steel blade (or in a blender) until smooth, about 1 minute. Heat the oil and garlic in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the pureed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, vodka, cream, and sugar; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the flavors have melded and the sauce has thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Off the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Discard the paper towels covering the filled shells and pour the tomato sauce over the top. Tilt the dish to distribute the sauce evenly and make sure each shell is covered with sauce (spoon sauce over each shell if necessary). Cover with foil and bake until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the ricotta filling is hot, about 30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and Parmesan before serving.

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