Garlic Stuffed Jumbo Pasta Shells
Submitted by bcool3
Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with ricotta, prosciutto, Parmesan, and fresh basil, baked in a garlic-anchovy cream sauce. An Italian dinner party dish in 45 minutes.
YIELD
24 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
45 minJumbo pasta shells packed with a ricotta-prosciutto filling and baked in a from-scratch garlic cream sauce spiked with anchovies. The anchovy melts into the sauce completely, adding a deep savory backbone without any fishiness.
The garlic cream sauce starts with a classic béchamel technique: butter, sautéed garlic, flour cooked for two minutes, then milk and cream beaten in vigorously off the heat. Adding the liquid all at once and whisking hard prevents lumps. The anchovies go in with the parsley and dissolve as the sauce thickens, becoming invisible but essential.
The filling combines ricotta and cottage cheese with Parmesan, fresh parsley, basil, prosciutto, and egg yolks. The cottage cheese lightens the ricotta so the filling isn’t too dense, while the egg yolks bind everything and set slightly during baking. Pressing each stuffed shell back into its original shape before placing it in the dish keeps the filling sealed inside.
Two cups of sauce go down first as a base, then the shells in a single layer, then the remaining sauce poured over the top. Fifteen minutes in the oven is all it takes to heat everything through and let the sauce bubble around the edges.
Chef Tips
- Don’t let the flour brown when making the roux. Colored flour will give the white cream sauce a tan tint and a nutty flavor that fights with the garlic.
- Cook the jumbo shells just until pliable, not fully tender. They finish cooking in the oven and overcooked shells tear when you stuff them.
- Wipe excess filling from the outside of each shell before placing in the dish. Stray cheese filling burns on the pan and looks messy.
- Serve immediately. The sauce thickens as it cools and loses its pourable consistency.
Variations
- Vegetarian version: Skip the prosciutto and anchovies. Add sun-dried tomatoes to the filling and extra Parmesan to the sauce for savory depth.
- Spinach filling: Fold a cup of blanched, squeezed-dry spinach into the cheese mixture for color and an earthy note.
Ingredients
Directions
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat.
Add the garlic and sauté until it just starts to turn golden brown.
Remove from the heat and when the butter has stopped bubbling add the flour.
Return to the heat and cook, stirring constantly for two minutes.
Do not let the flour color!
Remove from the heat and add the milk and cream all at once.
Immediately beat vigorously with a whip until smooth.
Put the pan over medium heat, add the parsley and anchovies.
Cook, stirring constantly until the sauce has the consistancy of heavy cream.
Remove from the heat. Add salt and pepper to taste, reserve uncovered.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, cottage cheese, Parmesan, parsley basil, prosciutto and egg yolks.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and mix well.
Stuff each shell with some of the cheese mixture.
Using your fingers, press the long side of each shell lightly together so that the shape of the shell is as it was before boiling.
Wipe any excess of filling.
Put about two cup of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish big enough to hold all the 24 shells in one layer.
Place the stuff shells in the dish, pour the remaining sauce over.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375℉ (190℃) for 15 minutes.
Serve at once.
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