Every time I have stuffed shells I remember they are so easy to make and perfect to freeze for a quick meal another day. Yesterday my cousin made stuffed shells for a bridal shower and it reminded me to post this recipe. The stuffed shells recipe is my Aunt Barbara's (although I made a few changes to the ingredient amounts in her original recipe) and the bolognese sauce recipe is my grandma's. Because these can be prepared ahead of time and frozen, my family has made them for numerous events over the years. Serve them with meatballs and sausage, salad and bread and you have a delicious Italian meal!
I like to parboil the shells, not completely boil them. This makes them easier to fill and less likely to break. I have also used this recipe to make manicotti using store-bought shells. Just be careful when putting the filling in so you do not rip the manicotti shells!
Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells
12-ounce box jumbo shells, parboiled
2 10-ounce boxes frozen chopped spinach, lightly cooked and drained
32 ounces ricotta cheese
16 ounces shredded mozzarella
2 lightly beaten eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Spaghetti Meat Sauce or Bolognese Sauce (recipe below) or your favorite
marinara sauce
(or blend a 28-ounce can of Hunts Whole or Italian Plum
tomatoes in the blender. Add a little
pepper and pour over stuffed shells. No
need to cook the blended tomatoes before baking.)
Cook shells (when cooking shells, add a small amount of oil to
the water to prevent sticking). After
the shells are cooked, drain and run under cold water, drain again.
Lightly cook the frozen chopped spinach and drain completely.
To spinach, add ricotta, mozzarella, eggs, salt and
pepper. Mix well. Stuff each shell with one
tablespoon of ricotta mixture.
Arrange shells in an oven-proof casserole. Spoon sauce over and around the shells. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for about 30
minutes or until steaming – do not let it dry out.
Freezing Stuffed Shells:
Shells can be frozen in a casserole (before the baking
process). Allow casserole to defrost in
refrigerator. Bake as directed
above.
--or--
Arrange stuffed shells on a plastic-wrap covered cookie
sheet. Quick freeze. When shells are frozen,
remove shells from cookie sheet and arrange in layers in a freezer container or
place in Zip-lock plastic bag. Remove
the stuffed shells as you need them.
Arrange in casserole, cover with sauce and bake. Do not defrost the shells before baking. Bake frozen shells 15-20 minutes longer than
the fresh baked stuffed shells.
Bolognese Sauce
It is a good idea to make a double recipe of the sauce so
that there is some left over to serve over the stuffed shells.
2 Tablespoons bacon drippings or olive oil
1 pound ground beef (chuck, sirloin, round)*
*
Variation: use part ground pork or add a piece of pork (browned)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small whole onion, lightly browned
28-ounce Hunts Italian or Whole Tomatoes – blend in
blender until smooth
6-ounce can Hunts Tomato paste
1 6-ounce can of water
Fresh parsley
Brown whole onion and ground meat in saucepan. Add tomatoes that have been blended until
smooth. Add salt and pepper and cook for
about 15 minutes. Add tomato paste and
water and continue cooking slowly for about 1½ hours.
