Best 5 Pasta Shells Florentine Recipes

THE BEST STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• For the marinara sauce: Heat the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic has softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, add the basil and dried oregano, partially cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 45 minutes.
• Remove the basil sprig. If the sauce is still too chunky, mash the larger chunks of tomato with a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.
• For the shells and filling: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the dried pasta shells cook, stirring occasionally, until softened slightly but not cooked. (The pasta shells should flexible enough to be filled but remain very al dente; they will continue to cook during baking.) Drain, then run under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well again.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley and egg in a large bowl until well combined and uniform. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a large disposable pastry bag or large resealable plastic bag (or use a spoon for filling directly from the bowl).
• Spread 2 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Snip off the end of the pastry bag and squeeze the filling into the shells one at a time. Arrange the shells open-side up in a tight single layer in the baking dish as you fill them. Top with the remaining marinara sauce. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake the shells until the sauce is bubbling throughout and the filling is heated through, about 35 minutes.
• Remove the foil from the pan and continue to bake for 10 more minutes to reduce the sauce. Let cool slightly before serving. Top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

STUFFED SHELLS FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese, spinach, Parmesan cheese, salt, oregano and pepper. Drain shells and rinse in cold water; stuff with spinach mixture., Place shells in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Pour spaghetti sauce over shells. Cover and bake at 350° until heated through, 30-40 minutes. Serve with breadsticks if desired.

CANNELLONI FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, separate shells, and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). In a 9 x 13 baking dish, combine veal, carrots, celery, chopped half onion and spinach. Stir well. Stir in 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil and white wine. Place in oven and roast until veal is brown and vegetables are soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir frequently. If meat begins to smoke, reduce heat to 400 degrees (200 degrees C).
• Let meat mixture cool 15 minutes, then process in food processor until finely chopped. Return to pan and stir in cream, Roma tomatoes, Parmesan, Italian seasoning and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil. Bake 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool.
• While meat mixture is cooling enough to handle, make tomato sauce. Puree canned tomatoes with their juice in food processor until smooth. In large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil. Saute garlic and chopped onion until soft. Stir in pureed tomato, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, or until no longer watery. Add four chopped basil leaves and cook 1 minute more.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Stuff pasta shells with cooled meat mixture, 2 to 3 tablespoons per shell. Place shells in clean 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour tomato sauce over shells and bake 20 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly.

STUFFED SHELLS FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Cook Shells in boiling salted water according to package directions.
• Cook spinach according to package.
• After cooking spinach squeeze to drain excess water. Chill.
• Blend Cheeses, egg, spinach and black pepper together well.
• Warm Marinara sauce.
• Pour 2 C sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan, reserve remaining sauce.
• Using a teaspoon fill shells, place in pan in single layer.
• Cover and bake 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F.
• Serve with remaining sauce.

SIMPLY DELICIOUSIOSO STUFFED SHELLS FLORENTINE WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat olive oil in a wide saute pan over medium-high flame. Add crumbled sausage and cook until no longer pink. Remove sausage from oil with a slotted spoon (reserve pan drippings), drain on paper towels, keep warm.
• In the sausage pan drippings, cook the onion until tender (3 to 4 minutes); add the garlic and cook until it "dances" ( additional minute or so). Drain and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If desired, season with salt and cook shells according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Pour marinara sauce into a large saucepan; heat through.
• Spoon 1 cup of the marinara into the bottom of a large roasting pan. Reserve remaining marinara and keep warm.
• Cook spinach per package directions; drain well and squeeze dry. Mix with ricotta cheese, mozzarella, eggs, salt, Italian seasonings, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add cooked sausage, onions and garlic; give a good stir.
• Using a teaspoon, fill each shell with the mixture (DO NOT OVERSTUFF).
• If desired, sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes over the top of each shell. Transfer shells to the prepared roasting pan; arranging them in a single layer.
• Cover with foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is heated through.
• Let the shells rest for five (5) minutes before serving. Serve with reserved marinara, warm crusty Italian bread and a freshly tossed spinach & vinegarette salad. Simply deliciousioso!