Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells In Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

Category: Main Dishes | Blog URL: http://petitechef.wordpress.com/recipes/sausage-spinach-stuffed-shells-in-tomato-basil-cream-sauce/

This recipe was entered in The Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook contest, a compilation of the world’s best food blogs which was published in Fall 2010.

Photo: La Petite Chef

Ingredients

3/4 pound Hot Italian Sausage, casings removed

2 cups finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons minced garlic (approx 3 cloves)

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

12 cups oz fresh spinach, blanched, squeezed dry, and chopped (approx ⅔ chopped)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 cup coarsely grated fontina cheese

12 ounces package jumbo pasta shells

26 ounces Italian crushed tomatoes

3 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon sugar

olive oil

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

Preparation

In a large skillet, heat olive oil on med-high and saute onions till clear, then add sausage, salt-n-pep and crushed red pepper and 1 TBsp garlic. Cook till golden brown breaking up the pieces.

Remove from heat and transfer to large bowl to cool.

When mixture has cooled to room temp, stir in ricotta, spinach, 1/2 cup parm and sugar. Combine well.

Lightly grease a deep 9×13 casserole or lasagna pan and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta shells until just al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water then pat dry.

Stuff the pasta shells with the sausage-spinach mixture and place in prepared casserole dish.

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil on medium high and saute remaining onions until clear. Add remaining garlic and cook until fragrant approx 1-2 mins.

Add the crushed tomatoes, salt-n-pep, crushed red pepper (t.t.) and cook for 5 mins.

Add the heavy cream and cook until sauce is reduced by 1/3, about 20 mins.

Preheat oven to 350F

Add the finely chopped basil to the sauce right before pouring the sauce over the shells in casserole.

Sprinkle with the fontina cheese and remaining Parm. Cover casserole tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 mins. Remove the foil and continue baking until the sauce is lightly browned in spots and bubbly around the edges. About 15 mins longer.

Let stand for 10 mins before serving. Goes great with thin sliced garlic bread.

Bon Appetito!

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About

My Boss Steve and his lovely wife Beth hosted a party this past Saturday night themed: Celebrity chefs and Blind Wine Tasting. They picked 4 of us from the office to make whatever we wanted as a main course to feed 3 judges and guests. The blind wine tasting involved 4 bottles of excellent wine, labels covered, and samplings of each to come down to a vote for which one was the best.
Myself, Tamara, Mark and Pete were the 4 celebrity chefs. Judges were Bill, Jack and Michelle. All the meals were delicious and it was unanimous that it was a four-way tie!
Obviously you all know what I made, Tamara made a spicy jerk pork, Mark made sheared beef and arugula with creamy risotto, and Pete made manicotti with thin sliced veal and lemon sauce. ummm YUMMMMMMM!!!
Steve and Beth made a TON of appetizers one of which was crunchy shrimp mini omelets (per say) It was a 2-biter finger food that if no one was around I think we could have scarfed the whole thing in one bite!
The whole night was tremendous and everyone went home with happy bellys and satisfied livers! Thank you Thompsons!!