Stuffed Shells Two Ways With Tomato Rose Sauce
- Ready In:
- 1hr
- Ingredients:
- 18
- Yields:
-
36 pasta shells
- Serves:
- 10-12
ingredients
- 1⁄2 lb jumbo pasta shells, cooked (about 36 shells)
-
Ricotta Filling
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
-
Meat and Spinach Filling
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1⁄4 cup carrot, finely chopped (1/2 of a carrot)
- 1⁄4 cup celery, finely chopped (1/2 stalk of celery)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 4 tablespoons onions, finely chopped (1/2 of a small onion)
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1⁄2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper
-
Rose Tomato Sauce
- 2 -3 cups marinara spaghetti sauce
- 1⁄4 cup cream
- 2 -3 tablespoons red wine (optional)
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, for topping
directions
- Make the Ricotta Filling: In a bowl, whisk together the cheeses and the egg until well combined. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Saute the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and parsley for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is cooked through (about 7-8 minutes).
- Add the chopped spinach to meat and cook for an additional minute (you can reserve about 4 tablespoons of spinach for the topping).
- Remove from heat and add the shredded cheese; season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Make the Rosé Sauce: Stir together the marinara sauce with the cream and red wine.
- Spread about 1 cup of the rosé sauce evenly in the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish.
- Use a teaspoon to fill half the pasta shells with the Ricotta Filling; fill the remaining pasta shells with the Meat and Spinach Filling.
- Arrange filled shells in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Pour rosé sauce over the pasta shells and top with grated Parmesan cheese (and the reserved spinach, if desired).
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 35 minutes.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p>Married to my sweetheart for almost forty years and we have two wonderful children who are grown and have flown the coop. Also, we have been blessed with a wonderful son-in-law and beautiful daughter-in-law, plus FIVE grandchildren: two beautiful granddaughters ages five and eight, and three sweet adorable little grandsons ages 2 months, 2 years and 3 years. My husband and I share a combination of English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Dutch, Swiss, Polish, Austrian, German and French heritage, and our son-in-law and daughter-in-law are both Hispanic. We've traveled extensively to many countries abroad (we lived in Germany), and have traveled and lived in several states here in the U.S.A. Many of the recipes I post here are influenced by our combined heritage or from our travels, or they are old family favorites that I want to share with you. I hope you enjoy! Have been to culinary school with many years of cooking (mostly for my family) under my belt, so know my way around a kitchen. And I'm very lucky to have the best sous chef in the world, dddddh! One of my favorite chefs of all time is Jacques Pepin! I have several of his cookbooks, and enjoy watching his television cooking show Fast Food My Way. Another top favorite is Julia Child (of course!). A few other chefs I read/enjoy watching on t.v. are: Giada At Home, Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa, Nigella Lawson's Nigella Bites, and Patti's Mexican Kitchen, and many more. On my bucket list is dining at Thomas Keller's establishment The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California... as well as Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and the James Beard award winning Tartine Bakery and Cafe in San Francisco. One day!! Hobbies/Interests: Decorating with fresh flowers and herbs from the garden is my passion, and brings me deep joy! It's really hard to beat!! I love connecting with others who enjoy the same. Gardening, decorating, sewing, music, dancing, film, and reading are also up there. Spending quality time with my grandchildren, family, and friends (and cooking holiday meals!). Currently, a newfound passion has been so richly rewarding for me: genealogical research. I heart ancestry dot com. And last but certainly not least, I absolutely LOVE cats--we have two half-Siamese fur babies (cats) that allow us to live here!! A Note of Thanks~ I try to personally thank everyone who kindly makes and reviews my recipes, but sometimes I am busy, late, or may forget. Please know that I am always humbled that you would try one of my recipes, and I enjoy reading the reviews and seeing all the pretty photographs. Thanks so much! </p>