Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 (28) ounce can whole plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled and halved
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 16 jumbo pasta shells
  • 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup romano cheese, shredded
  • Pinch of fresh ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten

Instruction

  • Place the tomatoes (with the juices), onion halves, and butter in a medium-sized pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Break the tomatoes apart with a wooden spoon and let it all lightly simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the shells and boil them for 9-10 minutes. You want them very al dente – they will finish cooking in the oven. While the pasta is boiling, prepare the filling by combining the cheese, nutmeg, parsley, and egg in a medium-sized bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper. Drain the shells and place them on a sheet pan to keep them from sticking to each other.
  • Remove the onion from the sauce and discard. If you want a smooth sauce use an immersion blender to puree the sauce. Coat the bottom of a baking dish (I used a 9-inch glass pie pan) with about 1/2 of the sauce. Fill each shell with 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the filling. Place in the baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the top.
  • Cover the baking dish with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the tin foil and bake an additional 5 minutes. Let stand a couple of minutes before serving.