Vera's Stuffed Shells Bolognese

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
Serves 4-6

Sauce:
4oz pancetta, ground or finely chopped
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
2 20 oz cans whole peeled italian tomatoes
1/3c yellow onion
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
3 garlic cloves
1 stick butter
1/2 c heavy cream
1/4 c grated parmesan
S&P
fresh basil
fresh parsley

For the shells:
1 pound jumbo shells
16 oz ricotta
1 egg
1/3 c grated parmesan
fresh chopped parsley
pinch nutmeg
pinch S&P

grated mozzarella, fresh basil and cracked black pepper


Put all vegetables including garlic through food processor till finely chopped. Saute in melted butter in heavy sauce pan till soft but not brown. Add pancetta and ground meats, stirring to break up the meat. Add two cans whole tomatoes and water equivalent to one can. Lower heat to simmer and cook for two hours, breaking up tomatoes during this time. Add cream, S&P, cheese and chopped herbs, simmer for another 30 minutes.


Cook shells in boiling water till just soft enough to not crack when you open them. Do not over cook....they should be even less than al dente. Strain and cool under running cold water. Mix ricotta, egg, parmesan, nutmeg, S&P and parsley. Fill each shell with a tablespoon of cheese.

Lay about 2 c bolognese in the bottom of a baking dish. Place stuffed shells onto bolognese. At this point...I cover them and bake them, without having sauced the top. Bake for 40 minutes. Then, I plate them, spoon hot sauce over them, top with shredded mozzarella and chopped herbs and use a blow torch to melt the cheese. If you do not want to do the blow torch, put sauce over the unbaked shells, cover and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle the mozzarella over them, and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
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PieSusan

Tortes Are Us
Super Site Supporter
That is one of my favorite Italian dishes--stuffed shells. I wish that I could eat tomato sauce. I miss it. Maybe I will cheat and go to a good Italian restaurant in our Little Italy.
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Wow!!!!! That looks so good!!!!! Thanks Vera!!!!! :D
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Isn't that the truth??? And then when they get it, they don't know what to do with it, right?

:yum::yum::yum:

Because we are visual creatures not subliminal like women. Visuals work for us and some of us know what to do regardless. :yum::yum::yum::yum:
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
I missed this thread, first time around, so I'm glad lifesaver brought it back up.

Great pics, Vera - I'm swooning, here! :clap:

Lee
 

buckytom

Grill Master
really awesome, vb. great pictures, my mouth is watering at 9:50am!!!

that beretta pancetta is a bit pricey, no? the last time i bought a hunk like that in the lodi shop rite, it was about $15.

did you make a costco run? nina tomatoes are pretty good, and that's the only place that i've seen them.
 

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
The nina tomatoes I can find sometimes at shop rite but the pancetta was definitely from shop rite.
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Holy cow, I missed this the first time around too! This is incredible! I've got to try this! Way to go and thanks Vera!! :clap:

And thanks for the bump Lifesaver!
 
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