stuffed shells

hi friends, lovers + people probably related to me -

14, feels a little awkward - like first kisses, job interviews, and being inside your own head too much

I’ve been trying to wear actual outfits on weekends - it’s going alright, jeans are still not particularly comfortable but it’s nice to be thinking about how clothes go together again

baked pasta is the best pasta

stuffed shells are one of my favorite meals + it’s sort of a special one, not something you make all the time. it is definitely a little more labor intensive but it’s v. much worth it. so pour yourself a glass of wine - a good red would be perfect + put on a podcast (you’re wrong about), tv show (law & order), new playlist (camp cozy, thanks taylor!) for some background noise and get started.

INGREDIENTS

1 box of jumbo shells ( i typically buy the barilla kind)
1 large container full-fat whole milk ricotta (none of this part-skim bs)
heavy cream (like 1/3 - to 1/2 cup)
parmesan ( you don’t have to grate this yourself - but i did, because i had a whole afternoon to kill)
mozzarella (not the fresh kind)
san marzano canned tomatoes (1 - 2 large cans - extra sauce never goes to waste)
garlic (4 large cloves)
tomato paste (about half the little can)
2-3 shallots or 1-2 yellow onions
dried basil
dried oregano
fresh basil (if you have your roommate’s plant you can steal it from, but no need to buy)
red pepper flakes
salt + pepper
a little olive oil
a little butter

STEPS

1st get the sauce started - melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a dutch oven or other heavy bottom pot, add a generous splash of olive oil, 4 grated cloves of garlic, the sliced shallots or onions (doesn’t have to be too thin or anything). cook down a bit - then add half the little can of tomato paste, salt + pepper - generous pinches of dried basil + oregano, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. stir around and let the tomato paste turn darker + everything should smell v. fragrant. add the the san marzano tomatoes and crush them with your hands - stir everything together + add fresh basil if you have it - now you can just let the sauce hangout on low - taste it frequently to see if needs anything

2nd put a large pot of heavily salted water to boil and then grate your cheeses (parm + mozzarella) then mix those together + set some aside for the topping. scoop the ricotta into a large bowl, add the rest of the mozzarella + parm mixture, stir together - then add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of heavy cream and some salt + generous crack of pepper - stir together. taste it, add a little more salt + pepper, taste again - put in the fridge

3rd drop the shells - you only want to cook them for 8-9 minutes, you don’t want them to be fully cooked. then set them aside to cool on a parchment or tinfoil lined sheet pan, add a ladle or so of the pasta water to the sauce - stir it in. taste the sauce see if it needs anything

4th okay so you have options - you can make one large tray of stuffed shells or two smaller ones (which is what i did - so that i could stash one in the freezer for later) in a glass baking dish ladle a generous amount of sauce and swirl it around.

roll up your sleeves because now we are stuffing the shells - take the ricotta mixture and spoon it into the shells - this is messy + i like my shells nice and full, place them so the opening is face up and continue till all the shells are full (this is a little time consuming so if you feel like delegating to your roommate, lover, kid sister or mom - now is the time to do it).

5th cover the shells generously with sauce, you might have some leftover (save it for something else) and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top - drizzle a tiny a bit of olive oil and sprinkle a little basil + oregano on top as well - then bake in the oven at 350 for like 20-30ish minutes - you should start to be able to smell it and it should be bubbling at the edges + then broil the top for a few minutes - take out and let set

6th eat it

some people only put a little cheese + sauce on top of their stuffed shells - i am not one of those people - bury me under a blanket of broiled cheese please

slightly messy but delicious (not pictured the 2.5 helpings i had after this)

particularly good things i consumed this week

fat shallot sunday - i had not had a sandwich for lunch in so long

this Tacopedia in Texas Monthly - both for its content and aesthetic design

lots of cast iron quesadillas with spinach + lacy cheesy edges - because i didn’t feel like eating anything else this week

this article in the cut that might explain why i run outside all year round

a weekday Caesar salad with homemade garlicky croutons, lots of parmesan and eaten out of big mixing bowl of course

this article on the black sheep sweater

currently consuming + consuming later

this fleece(y) wool sweatshirt because i’d rather be cozy than anything else, a rather large spoonful of mara natha peanut butter (my favorite small snack) + this new article by rachel monroe.

as always,
MK