Friday, October 17, 2014

Rosie Makes Stuffed Pasta Shells.

 I like do-ahead meals
and today I'm relaxing in the kitchen
making stuffed pasta shells that I'll refrigerate today
and serve for lunch tomorrow.
 Here's the prize!

First, the sauce.
Rosie's Tomato Sauce
1 35-ounce can tomatoes, whole or crushed
1 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TB oil
1 TB unsalted butter
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1 tsp oregano

Heat butter and oil in saucepan over medium high heat.
Add in chopped onion and pepper
and cook a few minutes.
Add in minced garlic, reduce heat to low.
Cook, stirring about a minute.
Add in tomatoes.
If using whole tomatoes,
break up with a wooden spatula.
Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally,
until reduced by half.
Purée using an immersion blender or mixer.
Taste test.
Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, if needed.
Stir in the oregano.


Prepare the filling for the shells.
Stuffing for Pasta Shells
1 lb. ricotta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1 egg
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 TB chopped parsley
2 TB chopped basil

Mix all ingredients and stuff into cooked pasta shells.




I had extra filling left over -
enough for 2 lasagna roll-ups.


Improvise!
It's what cooking is all about.

Pour a little sauce in the bottom of your baking dish
and place in the pasta shells and roll-ups.
I had a third sheet of lasagna that I put over top.

Pour the rest of the sauce on top.
 
  Top with grated Parmesan and mozzarella.

 
Bake at 350° for about 40 minutes.




Oh MY, yes.
This is hit-the-spot good!



2 comments:

Rocquie said...

This would sure hit my spot about now. It looks fantastic and I love your improvisations. --Rocquie

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Hi Rocquie. Thank you. I had a pound of ricotta left over, so expect some cannoli in the near future. -Rosie