Thanksgiving is barely over and Hanukkah is right around the corner. Many of us are still recovering from one holiday and another is upon us.
And right in the midst of all the celebrations and obligations that this time of year brings, a friend of mine lost her mother. She came home from the funeral, looked up and it was Thanksgiving. I barely had time to see her and give her a hug before I left town myself.
Like me when my dad died, my friend who lost her mother has no time to sit in a corner and have a breakdown. She has children, a husband, a job. So, I did for her what many people did for me when I was grieving: I made dinner for her family. For one night I took away one of her worries: what will I feed these people?
One of my go-to meals to bring to a family in a time of need is stuffed shells. No one dislikes stuffed shells. It appeals to vegetarians, children and picky eaters alike. For maximum flexibility, I deliver the casserole assembled but not yet baked and attach a note with baking instructions.
That way, the recipient can bake it right away it if that is helpful, or she can refrigerate it and bake it the next day. In fact, he or she could even freeze the stuffed shells for another night when the idea of making dinner is just too much to bear. That is honestly the most thoughtful thing I can think to do for someone who is grieving or dealing with an illness or, on a happier note, has a new baby.
I make every component of this dish from scratch because that is the best way I know to show love. I find all the different tasks to be deeply satisfying, from chopping the vegetables for the sauce to stuffing the shells with the creamy ricotta to grating the cheese that will turn gooey and bubbly upon baking. My labor creates something that will comfort, nurture and sustain someone who is in need of all of those things.
At the same time, stuffed shells is the best way I know to feed a crowd. This recipe makes enough to satisfy a large group when entertaining or hosting house guests. And you can do everything up to baking the shells in advance. A recipe like this one will get you out of any number of jams, especially at this busy time of year. Then the stuffed shells become a dish of celebration, a way to warm all these people who have come in from the cold.
Ingredients
- 2 12 oz. packages jumbo shells
- 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 TB tomato paste
- 2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
- 32 oz ricotta
- 1 1/2 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- Pinch nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Heat olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and carrots and sauté until the vegetables are tender, about ten minutes.
- Season with oregano, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper and sauté a few additional minutes until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste, and canned tomatoes and stir to combine. Turn heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer while you prepare pasta and filling.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions but undercooking pasta slightly. Drain and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, combine ricotta, spinach and nutmeg in a large bowl.
- Use a teaspoon to stuff each shell with ricotta filling.
- Cover the bottoms of two 3-quart baking dishes with tomato sauce. Arrange stuffed shells in dishes.
- Top with grated cheeses.
- Cover with foil. (May be done ahead up to this point. If not baking right away, refrigerate dishes until needed.)
- Bake dishes covered for thirty minutes. Uncover and continue baking until cheese is melted and gooey.
