I love Fall foods and recipes, I think I have definitely said that more than once!
One thing I love most in the Fall are stuffed pastas. Sure, you can eat these year round, but they have such a comforting feel in the Fall when the weather starts getting chillier outside. You can make them with hearty meat sauces and countless filling options.
In house we have the great stuffed pasta debate of meat filling versus cheese filling! Which do you prefer? I am cheese all the way, but the hubby prefers meat. Since we are both Italian, but come from two different regions in Italy, this does not surprise me at all. Like most European countries, people eat very locally driven cuisine. So, even though each region in Italy may have a stuffed pasta, it is likely that what it will be stuffed with is what is local and most available to them.
Here in America we are spoiled because we can get pretty much anything, pretty much any time of the year. Whether it is at it’s best… well… if you eat more seasonally, you will get the best products. Yet, we really can get anything/anytime. With that being said, in our house we make both meat and cheese filled so that we are all happy! Yet, there are many other options available for Fall as well. Especially when it comes to filled pastas. You can do butternut squash, you can do pumpkin, you can add in some kale instead of spinach and list goes on and on.Â
For the sake of this recipe, we are keeping it simple, classic and delicious. In these two recipes you will learn how to make spinach and ricotta stuffed shells with a homemade marinara sauce. You will also learn how to make classic meat stuffed shells with a hearty bolognese, (meat) sauce.Â
Chef’s Tip- I know that there are many options out there today for pasta, but for this you will want to use a classic jumbo shell pasta. You will really want to make sure that you cook it al dente because you will be cooking it again in the oven for almost an hour. So, if you over cook it to start with, you will end up with a mushy stuffed shell.
Stuffed Shells with Ricotta and Spinach
These are the stuffed shells that I grew up on and that I think of when you say stuffed shells. I think that they are also the most mainstream when you are ordering from a restaurant as well. I make them with homemade or hand dipped ricotta for the best flavor and texture.
Ingredients
- 8 oz package of jumbo shell pasta cooked al dente
- 1 recipe of homemade marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 lbs homemade or hand dipped ricotta cheese
- 1- 4 oz package frozen spinach thawed and squeezed of all of the access liquid
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg lightly scrambled before adding into mixture
- 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cool and dry the shells on a paper towel-lined baking sheet after they are cooked
- To make the filling
- In a bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan cheese, egg and 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese in a bowl. Season with the Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste.
- Stuff the shells generously, but not overly full. Lay them in a baking dish that is layered with marinara sauce on the bottom.
- Top the shells with marinara sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover with plastic and foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake to slightly brown the cheese on top for another 15 minutes. Serve immediately. ENJOY!
As for the fillings, for the meat filling I like to process it up in the food processor for a smaller, less course filling. This helps it really stuff nicely into the pasta shells. For the cheese filling, make sure you do not put too many eggs or you will change the consistency of the ricotta. Only 1 egg per lb of ricotta. Also, squeeze the spinach out so that it is very dry and won’t leak out liquid into your filling as it cooks. Lastly, if you can find a homemade or hand spun ricotta, do it. It makes a huge difference. ENJOY!
Meat Stuffed Shells
These are my husbands favorite and I must say they are nice and hearty for Fall. They are perfectly paired with a hearty bolognese sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 oz Package jumbo shells
- 1 recipe bolognese sauce or 4 cups
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion or half a large one minced
- 1 lb ground beef pork and veal mix, your butcher can make for you or you can buy in "meatloaf mix" at some stores
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg slightly beaten before adding to the mix
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Kosher salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lay cooked shells on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to dry.
- Heat a saute pan and add olive oil to heat. Add in the minced onion and saute for 1-2 minutes. Do not brown.
- Add in the ground meat, season with salt and pepper and lightly brown and break up as much as possible. Add in the minced garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Drain off any access grease. Add in the white wine and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the wine dries up almost completely.
- Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the meat mixture into the food processor with the breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley. Pulse until almost a paste.
- Remove from the food processor, checking seasoning and make sure that the mixture is not hot and mix in the egg.
- Layer the meat sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Fill the shells generously, but not over filled.
- Lay them on top of the sauce. Top with more meat sauce and the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with plastic wrap and foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Serve hot. ENJOY!
