Grab your favorite bottle of wine, pour yourself a glass and let’s start cooking, pisan’s! I love me some good old fashioned Italian Sunday dinners. Lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, some nice brasciole, maddone! I was brought up in a home with a old school first generation Italian father and an Italian New Yorker (Brooklyn) mother so I am no stranger to the Sunday dinner. Every weekend I would wake up on Sunday’s to the delicious smell of garlic and by 3 p.m. we would be sitting down for dinner. That’s how they did it growing up and by damn, that’s how we will do it!
Now that I have my own family, tradition still continues. Although, we may not be eating at 3 p.m. anymore (helloooo naptime!) we still like to have Sunday dinners. This week it is one of my faves, Stuffed Shells. I thought I hit the jackpot when ever my mom made them for dinner, so I was excited to cook it for my girls for the first time this past Sunday. After the 1.5 year old housed 3, I think it’s safe to say they were a hit!
Stuffed Shells with Homemade Sauce
Sauce:
- 2 cans San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes
- 1 Large Garlic Clove, grated (or 2 small cloves)
- 1 TBS Olive Oil
- 1 TBS Parsley, minced
- 1 TBS Butter
- Salt & Pepper
- Basil
With a large bowl and food mill, begin taking the tomatoes and cutting them in half. Place in food mill that is on top of the bowl. I like to work with one can at a time. Begin by turning the food mill and getting all the seeds out. Repeat with can #2.
In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add grated garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until they become fragrant. You do not want to burn the garlic, it will give the sauce a bitter taste. Next, add parsley and butter and cook till butter is melted.
Add milled tomatoes to pot along with some salt and about 1 teaspoon of pepper. I don’t usually measure the salt but add a little at a time, then go back to taste. I tend to over salt! Let simmer on low heat for about an hour. About 15 minutes before serving, add about a tablespoon of chopped basil.
* If you do not have a food mill, don’t fret. You can just use a blender or immersion blender to puree the tomatoes.
Stuffed Shells:
- 1 Box Jumbo Shells pasta
- 1 Ricotta Cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4 cup Parsley, chopped
- Grated Mozzarella
- Homemade sauce
- 1 tsp Salt
Preheat oven to 375.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season with salt. Cook shells for about 8 minutes. Depending on the shells, there will be instructions for cooking them for baking. Drain, separate and place on a pan to cool.
In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs, parmesan, mozzarella, salt and parsley. Mix till all ingredients are incorporated.
Once shells are cooled, being stuffing. Use about a 2 tablespoons worth of mixture for each. Again, depending on the shells, make a judgement call. After all shells have been stuffed, take a baking dish and spoon a couple ladles of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Arrange the shells so the opening is facing up. Drizzle some more sauce over then top with grated mozzarella. Finish with a little more sauce and grated parmesan.
Cook for 30-45 minutes or until cheese becomes golden brown and bubbly.
They are cheesy, gooey and make you feel like you are sitting in your Nonna’s kitchen for Sunday Dinner.
Serve with some bread, salad and enjoy! Do you and your family have any weekly traditions? Would love to hear!
Ciao – Amanda
