Nonna's Stuffed Shells

So this recipe comes from my family's long tradition of Itali....who am I kidding, my family is German-Polish. But IF I had an Italian grandmother, THIS would be her recipe. :-) This recipe is actually a stem from my Mom's stuffed shells. These shells along with many other Italian dishes are famous amoung my high school commrades for Mom used to make a massive spread before big basketball or volleyball games. When I first asked her for this recipe, I was flabergasted when she just rattled it off of the top of her head. Fabulous home-cookin' always takes a little practice but with this recipe, you can't go wrong. I love to add Italian sausage or spinach to the base and let my shells stand out from everyone else's...even Mom's. (Sorry Mom!)

Image: Nonna's Stuffed Shells with Caesar salad and home-made foccacia.


Stuffed Shells

Serves 4-6 (approx 16-18 shells)

Prep Time: 20-25 minutes
Cook Time: 35-45 minutes

INGREDIENTS
16-18 dried large shells
1 egg
1 - 15 oz container of part skim ricotta
1 tsp kosher salt (additional kosher salt is needed to flavor the pasta water)
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
2-1/2 cups your favorite pasta sauce (1/2 jar - I recommend Prego Traditional)
9” x 11” baking pan
Cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat your over to 375°.
2. Fill a large pot 1/2 full with water and set on the stove to high heat. Once boiling, add a handful of (approx 3-4 tbs) kosher salt and bring to a rapid boil.
3. Add the shells to the water and cook according to the package instructions (8-10 minutes). Shells should be very al dente (almost done but not quite).
4. While the shells are cooking, mix together the egg, ricotta, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, basil, and oregano into a medium mixing bowl. Once fully combined, fold in 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.
5. Drain shells in cold water and set aside to cool. Spray a 9” x 11” baking pan with some cooking spray and spoon a few tablespoons of pasta sauce on the bottom of the pan. This prevents the shells from sticking to the bottom but also allows for even cooking.
6. Once the shells are cool enough to handle, spoon approx 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture into each shell (the shells should be plump full but not overflowing). Place the filled shells into the baking pan leaving a little room between each shell.
7. Once all the shells are stuffed and in the baking pan, spoon over the remaining pasta sauce making sure that each shell is covered.
8. Top the shells with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
9. Bake uncovered at 375° for 35-45 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is golden brown.

NOTES:
>Cheese is browning/burning before the timer is up?...add a piece of tin foil to the top of the pan and cook till done.
>Want something a little more hardy than just a cheesy filling?...add 1/2 lbs of cooked Italian sausage or 2 cups cooked spinach to the filling.
>What about manicotti or lasagna?...this filling works for all Italian stuffed pastas just make sure you cook the noodles before stuffing!


GREAT FOR MAKE AHEAD MEALS AND LEFTOVERS!!!