Stuffed Shells a la grandma

I encourage you to make, not buy, your sauce!

Leslie and I are going to do another video this weekend, and we're exchanging recipes this weekend. Except I haven't written hers down yet ... ooops! So here is a recipe for stuffed shells based off of my grandma's recipe for lasagna. This same cheese mixture can be used for lasagna, manicotti (like I did for our last video) or stuffed shells. Good luck Leslie!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box stuffed shells pasta, cooked per the box's directions
• 1-2 jars of your favorite marinara sauce (it actually pains me to even suggest buying sauce in a jar, but I'm trying to be realistic here)
• 1.5 lb (or 24oz) ricotta cheese
• 1 lb (or 16oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated cheese (I like pecorino romano mixed with parmesan, but you can also use just parmesan)
• 2 eggs
• 1/8 cup parsley
• 1/2 tb salt
• 1/2 tb ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

3) Beat your eggs in a large bowl. Then add your salt, pepper and parsley and mix.

4) Add your ricotta and mix. Then add your grated cheese and mix. Then add your mozzarella and mix.

Why this order?? I have no idea! But this is what my grandmother does, so this is what I do! 

6) Pour a generous amount of sauce into the bottom of your roasting pan so that it coats the bottom. 

7) Now you have to stuff your shells ... you can either spoon it in (which takes a little technique) or you can put your cheese in a ziploc bag and cut off a corner to create your own cheesy pastry bag. But either way, stuff all your shells and place pasta side down in your roasting pan.

8) Sprinkle the top with more parmesan and parsley.

9) Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, and let rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.