Italian Stuffed Shells Cassies Food

STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Once the water comes to a boil, heavily salt the water and add in the shells. Cook for 9 minutes, or 2 minutes less than the package directions state. Drain the pasta and allow it to cool slightly.
• While the pasta is cooking, prepare the filling by mixing together the ricotta egg, parmesan, garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
• Spread a 2-quart baking dish with 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the pan.
• Once the shells are cool enough to handle, stuff each shell with the ricotta mixture, about 1/4 cup filling per shell. Remember to not overstuff the shells, so that the shells can somewhat close around the ricotta filling.
• Top the shells with the remaining spaghetti sauce and then cover with the mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned.

ITALIAN STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat, crumbling beef, until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in water, tomato paste, bouillon and oregano. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, combine egg, cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Stuff shells with cheese mixture., Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange shells in a greased 13x9-in. or 3-qt. baking dish. Pour meat sauce over shells. Cover; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer. Freeze option: After assembling, cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake as directed, adding remaining 1 cup mozzarella after 30-40 minutes and increasing time as necessary for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

ITALIAN STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink; drain well. Stir in water, tomato paste, bouillon and oregano; simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and egg; mix well. Stuff shells with cheese mixture; arrange in a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Pour meat sauce over shells.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

ITALIAN UNSTUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Add the tomatoes to a large bowl and use your hands to crush them into chunky pieces; set aside.
• In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add the sausage and brown in large chunks until no pink remains, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Wipe out the fat from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind. Add about a third of the tomatoes to the skillet and stir to pick up any remaining browned bits. Set aside.
• In another large bowl, add the spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, shredded mozzarella, egg, garlic, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Add the cooked pasta and sausage and gently mix.
• Add the pasta and sausage mixture to the skillet. Top with the remaining tomatoes and then the sliced mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, until heated through and the cheese is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with torn basil before serving.

THE BEST STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• For the marinara sauce: Heat the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic has softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, add the basil and dried oregano, partially cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 45 minutes.
• Remove the basil sprig. If the sauce is still too chunky, mash the larger chunks of tomato with a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.
• For the shells and filling: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the dried pasta shells cook, stirring occasionally, until softened slightly but not cooked. (The pasta shells should flexible enough to be filled but remain very al dente; they will continue to cook during baking.) Drain, then run under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well again.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley and egg in a large bowl until well combined and uniform. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a large disposable pastry bag or large resealable plastic bag (or use a spoon for filling directly from the bowl).
• Spread 2 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Snip off the end of the pastry bag and squeeze the filling into the shells one at a time. Arrange the shells open-side up in a tight single layer in the baking dish as you fill them. Top with the remaining marinara sauce. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake the shells until the sauce is bubbling throughout and the filling is heated through, about 35 minutes.
• Remove the foil from the pan and continue to bake for 10 more minutes to reduce the sauce. Let cool slightly before serving. Top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook shells in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet; place drained pasta on baking sheet to cool.
• Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a heavy skillet. Cook and crumble sausage until it has lost its pink color and begins to brown. Remove from heat; drain off grease.
• Stir half of the shredded cheese and the Italian seasoning into the browned sausage. Spoon mixture into the pasta shells (1 to 2 tablespoons per shell). Arrange stuffed shells in prepared baking dish. Pour marinara sauce evenly over the shells. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven until heated through and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake until browned, 5 to 10 more minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of Italian seasoning, if desired.

SIMPLE STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add beef. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked. Stir in tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low; cook uncovered about 20 minutes until liquid is reduced.
• Meanwhile, cook and drain pasta shells as directed on box, using minimum cook time. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain.
• In medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, the egg and 2 tablespoons basil.
• Spoon about 2 cups meat sauce into baking dish. Using small spoon, carefully fill each pasta shell with about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture (do not overfill). Invert shells and place on sauce in baking dish. Spoon remaining meat sauce over shells. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
• Bake uncovered about 30 minutes until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted. Garnish with additional basil.

ITALIAN CHEESE-STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook onion and peppers over medium heat 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook 4-5 minutes until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer Stir in water, tomatoes, tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine eggs, ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Stuff into shells. Spread 1 cup vegetable sauce in a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. , Cover and bake 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

MEXICAN STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Add water and taco seasoning mix and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir refried beans, Cheddar cheese, and green chiles into ground beef; cook and stir until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Fill shells with beef mixture.
• Combine tomato sauce and picante sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Arrange stuffed shells side-by-side in the baking dish and top with remaining sauce. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN SHELLS CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cook shells and drain (while waiting, go on to next steps).
• Brown ground beef and drain. Add salt, pepper, and marinara sauce. Simmer 20 minutes.
• In deep pan, line bottom with 1/2 of the shells. Cover with half of the meat sauce. Spread half of the sour cream lightly over and then sprinkle with half of both the cheeses. Repeat.
• Cover and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.
• Uncover and bake 20 minutes more.