Description
Cheesy stuffed shells combine ricotta, spinach, and herbs in perfectly al dente pasta pockets. Hearty Italian-American comfort cuisine delights diners with rich flavors and satisfying textures you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (240 ml) shredded Italian cheese blend
- ½ cup (120 ml) mozzarella or parmesan
- ½ stick (113 grams / 4 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil
- ½ shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat: Warm the oven to 375°F, creating an ideal baking environment for the shells.
- Pasta Preparation: Cook jumbo shells in salted water until tender, then rinse with cold water to stop cooking and prevent adhesion.
- Vegetable Foundation: Sauté onions, green peppers, and garlic in olive oil until fragrant and translucent, developing a robust flavor base.
- Protein Integration: Brown ground turkey in the skillet, breaking into small pieces and seasoning with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper.
- Sauce Development: Combine tomato sauce with seasoned turkey mixture, simmering to marry flavors and create a rich, complex sauce.
- Alfredo Creation: Craft a velvety sauce by melting butter, adding garlic and shallots, then incorporating heavy whipping cream, Italian cheese blend, and parmesan, seasoning with pasta water, salt, pepper, and roasted garlic powder.
- Assembly: Layer baking dish with tomato sauce, carefully stuff shells with turkey mixture, generously drizzle Alfredo sauce, and top with shredded mozzarella.
- Baking: Slide into preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until cheese melts and bubbles with golden perfection.
- Finishing Touch: Rest the dish for 10 minutes, allowing shells to set, then garnish with fresh parsley for a vibrant presentation.
Notes
- Pasta Perfection: Choose jumbo shells that are uniform in size to ensure even cooking and consistent stuffing.
- Flavor Boost: Toast fennel seeds briefly before adding to the turkey mixture to intensify their aromatic qualities and enhance overall taste.
- Sauce Salvation: Let Alfredo sauce simmer gently to prevent separation and achieve a smooth, creamy texture without burning.
- Resting Ritual: Allowing the dish to rest after baking helps flavors meld and makes serving cleaner and more elegant.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 45g
- Saturated Fat: 28g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 140mg