Stuffed Shells

Cooking Instructions

Prepare jumbo pasta shells per package instructions. Allow to cool before handling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saute pan, heat 2 Tablespoons of butter (or olive oil) for about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the parsley (half) and all the chopped vegetables: the chopped celery, onion, garlic, and green bell pepper. Saute until the onion is nearly transparent. Season with salt and pepper and a little of the Italian seasonings.

In a separate pan, brown the ground beef and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasonings. When no pink remains, drain the meat in a colander. Return the meat to the pan and add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and the cooked vegetables. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. This is the sauce.

For the cheese mixture: Grate the wedges of Parmesan and Romano cheeses in a food processor or blender. (First cut them into two inch chunks. If using a blender, then do this in several small batches.) Combine all the cheeses and 1 egg in a bowl. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup chopped parsley.

Assembly and cooking: a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Spray Pam or put other olive oil on the bottom and sides of the pan. There may be enough left over for another small pan, which can then be covered in foil and frozen. tablespoon to put the cheese into the shells. Assemble in neat rows. Pour the sauce over the assembled rows. Cover with foil and cook at 350 for 30 minutes.