Is there anybody who doesn’t like pizza? If so, I’ve never met this strange person. Pizza is just good stuff.
Recently, I saw a recipe idea for Pizza Stuffed Shells, and I knew that the children of a family I do a little cooking for would love this dish. They did. It turned out great.
This is a dish that can be assembled ahead and stored in the fridge, or you can whip it together in about 30 minutes and delight whoever you are cooking for. Old or young, everybody loves pizza.
Here’s how I did my version.
Begin by boiling about 30 Jumbo Shells. The package suggests 10 minutes but take them off the stove as soon as they just begin to turn soft, after about 5 minutes of rapid boiling. If you cook them until they are done, they can get mushy when you cook them again in the oven.
For the stuffing, blend 16 ounces of Ricotta with 6 ounces of shredded Mozzarella and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan. Add 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste, a 2.25 oz. can of drained black sliced olives (optional) and 2 ounces of mini pepperoni slices (about half of a 5oz. pack).
If you can’t find mini slices, use regular pepperoni, and cut the slices in half. Mix thoroughly and stuff a generous tablespoon into each shell.
Pour 3 cups of your favorite pasta sauce in a 9 x 13 baking dish and lay the shells on top of the sauce. Next sprinkle the remainder of the pepperoni (about 3 oz.) and another 2 ounces of mozzarella on top of the shells. Garnish with a little fresh parsley and bake in a 350 oven for 25 minutes (30 minutes if you made it in advance and refrigerate).
This dish is a nice change of pace for “Italian Night” and, what the heck, everybody loves pizza!
Pizza Stuffed Shells
30 jumbo shells
5 oz. pkg. mini pepperoni
16 oz. Ricotta cheese
12 Oz. pkg. Shredded Mozzarella
1 t. Italian Seasoning
2.25 oz. can black sliced olives
S & P to taste
1 C grated parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley as garnish
3 C. pasta sauce (use your favorite)