Baked Stuffed Shells Conchiglie Ripiene Al Forno Food

STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Prepare the marinara sauce, following the recipe in our Tomato Sauce 101 post, leaving it a bit looser than you would normally.
• Boil the shells in well salted water until only three-quarters cooked.
• While the shells are cooking, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt and pepper together in a mixing bowl until you have a smooth cream. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Then fold in the cubed mozzarella.
• When the shells are done, drain them and lay them out to cool on a backing rack or on a kitchen towel.
• When the shells are cool enough to handle, fill them with the ricotta and mozzarella mixture. You can do this by pinching them top and bottom until they open slightly, then plop in a generous spoonful of the filling with a spoon. Repeat with all your shells.
• Line the bottom of a baking dish (or individual baking dishes as pictured in this post) with a bit of the marinara sauce. Place the stuffed shells on top, open side up, then nap the shells with more marinara sauce. Top the shells with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese and drizzled them all over with olive oil.
• Bake in a hot (200C/400F) oven for 20-30 minutes, until the shells are cooked through and nicely browned on top.
• Let the baked stuffed shells rest for 5 minutes or so before serving, with more marinara on the side for those who want some.

CONCHIGLIE AL FORNO WITH MUSHROOMS AND RADICCHIO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil in a stockpot.
• Remove the stems from the mushrooms and reserve for another use. Slice the mushroom caps about 1/4-inch thick. Heat 6 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet; add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the mushrooms, radicchio, cream, cheeses, sage, and remaining salt.
• Parboil the pasta shells for 4 minutes; drain and add to the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
• Divide the pasta mixture among 6 to 8 individual, shallow, ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2 cup capacity). Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and bake until bubbly and brown on top, about 7 to 10 minutes.

BAKED STUFFED SHELLS (CONCHIGLIE RIPIENE AL FORNO)

Steps:

• Place the ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined sieve and set the sieve over a bowl. Cover the ricotta with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or up to one day. Discard the liquid in the bowl.
• Pass the tomatoes through a food mill fitted with the fine disc. (If you don't have a food mill, seed the tomatoes and place them in a food processor. Process the tomatoes, using quick on/off pulses, until they are finely ground. Don't overprocess, or you'll incorporate air into the tomatoes and change their texture and color.) Meanwhile, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.
• Slice half the mozzarella thin and cut the remaining half into 1/4-inch cubes. Turn the drained ricotta into a mixing bowl. Mix in the mozzarella cubes, grated cheese, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Beat the egg well and stir it into the ricotta mixture.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scatter the garlic over the oil and cook, shaking the pan, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Lower the tomatoes close to the skillet and carefully pour them into the skillet. Add the crushed red pepper and season lightly with salt. Bring the sauce to a quick boil, then adjust the heat to simmering. Cook until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir the basil into the sauce a few minutes before it is done.
• Meanwhile, stir the shells into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until softened but still quite firm, about 7 minutes. Fish the shells out of the water with a large skimmer and carefully lower them into a bowl of cold water. Drain them carefully.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line the bottom of a 15-10-inch baking dish with about 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture into each shell. The shell should be filled to capacity but not overstuffed. Nestle the shells next to each other in the baking dish as you fill them. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, coating each one. Arrange the slices of mozzarella in an even layer over the shells. Bake until the mozzarella is browned and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Remove, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.