Ingredients
The following ingredients have 6 Servings
- Salt
- 1 pound large shells
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 crushed cloves garlic
- sliced
- A fat pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 cup vodka (Rach likes Tito's)
- One 28-ounce can diced or whole Italian tomatoes (if using whole
- crush into pieces by hand)
- 1 bottle tomato passata
- A sprinkle of salt
- A sprinkle of sugar
- A handful of basil leaves
- torn
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 2 cloves garlic
- chopped
- 1 pound frozen chopped spinach
- defrosted and wrung dry
- Salt and white or fine black pepper
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- to taste (about 1/16 teaspoon)
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 cup finely diced mozzarella
- plus 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Handful fresh basil
- to garnish
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large shallot
- finely chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic
- chopped
- Salt and black pepper or white pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- chopped
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ½ cup dry vermouth or vodka
- 1 pound crab meat
- picked carefully for shell and tendon (Rach likes king leg meat)
- A few dashes hot sauce
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- ½ cup packed flat parsley and celery tops
- chopped
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- Handful fresh basil
- to garnish
Instruction
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and season it with salt
- Add pasta and under cook the pasta 3 minutes less than directions
- Drain, arrange cut-side up on parchment-lined tray
- For sauce, in large pot over medium heat, combine EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, and butter
- When butter melts, stir in the garlic and red pepper and stir 2 minutes, add vodka and reduce by half, add tomatoes, passata, salt, sugar, and basil, and simmer 20 minutes, then add cream and reduce heat to low
- Preheat oven to 400˚F
- For spinach filling, heat a skillet over medium heat with EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, add garlic and stir a minute or 2, add spinach and combine, season with salt and white or fine black pepper and nutmeg, add juice of ½ lemon and cool
- Combine spinach with ricotta, egg, diced mozzarella and half the Parm
- Pour a couple of cups of sauce into a baking dish and fill shells, arrange open-side up and pour additional sauce over, making a stripe across each row of the shells
- I angle the shells in to fill pan tightly
- Top with some shredded mozzarella and remaining Parm
- Leave enough of the shells peeking out so you can see that these are spinach-stuffed shells
- For crab filling, place a skillet over medium heat with EVOO and butter
- When butter melts, add shallots and garlic, season with salt, add thyme and lemon zest, and stir 2 to 3 minutes
- Add dry vermouth or vodka and let it almost evaporate, add crab, combine, add hot sauce and lemon juice and cool
- Combine with ricotta, egg, half the Parm cheese and chopped parsley and celery leaves
- Pour a couple of cups of sauce into a baking dish and fill shells, arrange open-side up and pour additional sauce over, making a stripe across each row of the shells
- I angle the shells in to fill pan tightly
- Top with some shredded mozzarella and remaining Parm
- Leave enough of the shells peeking out so you can see that these are crab-stuffed shells
- Cover shells with foil and bake 30 minutes, uncover and bake until cheese is brown and bubbly, 12 to 15 minutes more
- Garnish with fresh basil
