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Cheesy Beef Stuffed Shells

April 12, 2017

These stuffed shells are my new favorite pasta dish. It has many flavors in common with lasagne bolognese. Yet unlike bolognese sauce that simmers for a several hours, this meat sauce is ready in less than 30 minutes and is equally delicious. Another time saver is to use a good store-bought pasta sauce such as Rao’s Basil Tomato Sauce. Because it is particularly tasty, I stock up when it is on sale.

Barilla makes beautiful pasta shells that are just the right size for this recipe. Check the box for broken pieces before purchasing it. If the box shows signs of being damaged, the shells may be fractured and once cooked can fall apart and be unusable.

Ground sirloin is the perfect choice for the meat sauce. It is flavorful yet lean. However if you are unable to find ground sirloin, lean ground beef is a fine substitute.

I use cottage cheese in the recipe however you may substitute ricotta. The cottage cheese is light and mild in flavor but adds a creaminess without adding too many calories. I love how it melds together with the meat sauce and becomes a luxurious filling.

Cheesy Beef Stuffed Shells

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Meat Sauce:
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground sirloin (or other lean ground beef)
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
1 24 ounce jar Rao's Tomato Basil Sauce, divided
Pasta Shells:
24 jumbo pasta shells (Barilla Jumbo Shells 12 oz. box)
Cheese Mixture:
16 ounces cottage cheese (I use Lactose Free)
6 ounces (2 cups) coarsely shredded yogurt cheese (or mozzarella), divided
3 ounces (1 cup) coarsely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 large egg lightly beaten

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9x13" casserole dish.
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the ground sirloin and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until meat is no longer pink. Season with ¾ teaspoons kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add fresh parsley, dried oregano and marjoram. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat and mix in 1¼ cups of Rao's sauce. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. Spread the remaining Rao's sauce in the casserole dish.
Cook shells in boiling, salted water for 10 minutes or until al dente. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, drain on paper towels.
Combine cottage cheese, ¾ cup yogurt cheese, and all of the cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Mix in beaten egg. Add beef mixture to the bowl, stir to combine well. Spoon the filling into the pasta shells and arrange over the sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1¼ cups yogurt cheese over the shells. Bake for 30 minutes or until the filling is thoroughly heated and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Appetizers, Dinner, Italian, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Veggies

Puff Pastry Tomato Tarts

November 14, 2016

These tasty tomato tarts are so easy to make when using ready-made frozen puff pastry. Of course if you have time you could make your own, but using already prepared puff pastry reduces your prep time. The key to a delicious tart is to use really good tomatoes. You want tomatoes that are meaty with few seeds so that the crust doesn’t get soggy. Our tomato plants underproduced this summer, however, we were lucky to have a handful of really nice tomatoes that I used for tomato sauce, salsa, Mexican rice, salads, and these tarts.

I didn’t peel the tomatoes the first time I made the tart but did so the next time around. The tomato skins don’t soften much or break down when baked so peeling them ensures that when you take a bite of the tart you’re not left with the tomato skin pulling away from the rest of the slice.

You can make one large tart or divide the puff pastry into two equal portions and make two tarts. Below I made one with pesto and another with feta cheese. It was nice to have a variety of flavors. These little tarts make perfect appetizers for a small party. You can make them a couple of hours in advance and still count on the crust being flaky and crisp.

The tomatoes above were not peeled. You may notice the skins did not cook down much which means that when you take a bite of the tomato tart the skin may come off in one piece. It’s definitely OK to leave the skins on though if this isn’t bothersome to you.

Puff Pastry Tomato Tarts

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Adapted from Canal House Cooks Every Day

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 6 - 8 as an appetizer

Ingredients

1 frozen ready-to-bake puff pastry sheet such as Pepperidge Farm
2 - 3 tomatoes, peeled, cored, and sliced (about ⅓-inch thick)
3 branches fresh thyme
crumbled feta (optional)
basil pesto (optional)
extra virgin olive oil
pepper
Maldon or other crunchy sea salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut a sheet of parchment paper to fit a large baking sheet pan. Place parchment paper on counter. Remove puff pastry sheet from the freezer and place it on the parchment paper. Let puff pastry defrost for 20 minutes.
Roll out puff pastry on the parchment paper to measure 9½ x 12 inch rectangle. If making two tarts divide the pastry in half. Once rolled out, transfer puff pastry (on parchment paper) to your baking sheet. Using the tip of a small paring knife, lightly score a border about ½ inch from the edge of the pastry. Pierce the dough inside the border all over with the tines of a fork to prevent the central area from puffing up too much during baking.
If using only tomatoes: Arrange tomatoes over the pastry. Season with pepper. Drizzle or brush a bit of olive oil over the tomatoes. Scatter fresh thyme leaves over the top.
If using pesto: Brush pesto over the pastry (except border). Arrange tomatoes on the pesto and season with pepper. Drizzle or brush a bit of olive oil over the tomatoes.
If using feta: Arrange tomatoes on pastry and season with pepper. Scatter crumbled feta between the tomatoes. Drizzle or brush a bit of olive oil over the tomatoes. Scatter fresh thyme leaves over the top.
Bake tart(s) for 30 - 35 minutes until the pastry is crisp and edges are lightly browned. Season with Maldon salt.

Dinner, Italian, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

October 12, 2014

Summer is officially over yet this record hot weather will be with us for at least another month. Nevertheless, it hasn’t deterred me from baking brownies or simmering short ribs for 2 1/2 hours in the oven, but it does bring to mind meals that can be prepared in a jiffy, like this simple tomato sauce.

Though the recipe refers to this as a vinaigrette, it is also referred to as a condiment and as such, is equally delicious on grilled sourdough bread, or grilled chicken, pork or fish. It adds beautiful color to all these dishes. I love serving the tomatoes on thin capellini noodles for a summery lunch or dinner.

Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

Bon Appetit Magazine

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

crumbled feta (optional)

Preparation

Cut half of the cherry tomatoes in half.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot, and cook, stirring often until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add halved and whole tomatoes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to release juices, about 4 – 6 minutes. Crush some of the tomatoes with the back of spoon.

Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with kosher salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature; add chives just before serving and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Dinner, Italian, Recipes, Sauces, Vegan, Vegetarian

Homemade Pizza Sauce

September 20, 2014

One of my favorite meals is homemade pizza. John has perfected a recipe for really good pizza crust, one that is both tender yet chewy with a bit of those crispy edges that we all love. There are a number of ready-made pizza sauces available and I found one that was acceptable, but not perfect. Most of the prepared pizza sauces are a bit too “tomato pasty” and just don’t have that fresh tomato flavor. One of our favorite Wine Country restaurants, Redd Wood, makes some of the best pizza we’ve had. Their sauce is very simple but delicious. With that in mind, I decided to make my own pizza sauce and now I shall never go back to prepared sauce.

With just a few good ingredients, you’ll have a delicious pizza sauce that takes just about 45 minutes to prepare. I am very fond of Rao’s Italian Peeled Tomatoes. They are by far, the best canned tomatoes I have found. I once bought them at our local Whole Foods market, however they no longer carry them. Mail order is the way to go.

Rao’s tomatoes are always beautiful. They are peeled well, plump and juicy with a rich puree.

I use a food mill to puree the tomatoes. If you don’t have a food mill, squish the tomatoes with your hands or whirl in the food processor.

Best Homemade Pizza Sauce

Makes 1 3/4 cups – Enough for two large pizzas or four small pizzas

Ingredients

1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes in puree, Rao’s brand if available

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Puree the tomatoes (tomatoes and puree) using a food mill (I used the coarse disc). Alternatively, puree the tomatoes in a food processor (quick pulses) or smash the tomatoes with your clean hands for a chunkier pizza sauce. Pour in a bowl and set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large deep sided sauté pan. Add minced onions, turn the heat down to medium low and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft but not browned, stirring frequently.

Add the pureed tomatoes to the onions and mix to combine. Cook the sauce for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will have reduced and thickened up nicely. Add the oregano, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Continue to cook the pizza sauce for another 10 minutes or until the sauce is as thick as you like it. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Let the sauce cool while you prepare your pizza toppings and roll out your dough. The sauce can be made a few days in advance and freezes nicely for a couple of months.

Dinner, Italian, Pork, Recipes

Rigatoni with Spicy Calabrese-Style Pork Ragu

June 1, 2014

For years my hands down favorite Italian meat sauce was beefy Bolognese. However, I found an intriguing pork ragu recipe in Bon Appétit’s February 2013 issue. Hot and sweet Italian sausage, ground pork and savory tomato sauce, this pork ragu is now on my favorites list.

There are all sorts of canned tomatoes available these days. My favorite by far is Rao’s Homemade Italian Peeled Tomatoes. Certified organic, these tomatoes are of high quality and very flavorful. I once found them at Whole Foods but when I checked back again they were not on the shelf. Not to worry, these days you can find almost anything on-line. I’ve purchased other brands of whole canned tomatoes and had to peel off skin that was left on by poor handling. Rao’s tomatoes are always peeled well, the tomatoes and puree are a beautiful deep red, and they taste delicious. They make a really good homemade pizza sauce too.

The prices at Whole Foods markets can be high, however, I’m willing to spend a bit more for excellent quality meat and fish, unique and sometimes difficult to find (on Maui) pantry ingredients, and fruits and vegetables that are not easy to come by. At the meat counter I found many choices of fresh Italian-style sausage to use in this recipe so I decided on a couple of different types for the ragu (including chicken as well as pork).

Hot chicken, sweet chicken, and hot pork sausage.

You begin with a mirepoix which is a combination of finely diced celery, onion, and carrot, the foundation of many meat dishes and sauces.

Rigatoni with Spicy Calabrese-Style Pork Ragu

Adapted from Bon Appétit

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients

1 medium onion, quartered

1 medium carrot, peeled, cut into 1″ pieces

1 large celery stalk, cut into 1″ pieces

4 medium garlic cloves

2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided

1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound hot and/or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (I used both chicken and pork sausage)

1 pound ground pork

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup white wine

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 pound rigatoni or penne pasta

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano

Preparation

Pulse onion, carrot, celery, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup parsley in a food processor until finely chopped ; transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Puree tomatoes with juices in processor, set aside.

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat; add sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add ground pork, fennel seeds, and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook, breaking up pork with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. Add wine, and stir until wine has evaporated, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add reserved vegetable mixture to pan, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until golden 8 – 10 minutes.

Stir tomato paste and 1 cup water in a small bowl; add to pot. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, 6 – 8 minutes.

Add reserved meat and tomato puree and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, until meat is tender, about 3 hours. Bon Appétit’s recipe mentions adding more water as needed to keep the meat submerged however I found this was not necessary. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup parsley. Adjust seasoning, adding salt if needed.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water just before you are ready to serve dinner. The original recipe calls for reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid then adding it to the sauce along with the pasta and 3/4 cups parmesan and remaining 1/4 cup parsley. I did not add any additional liquid and plated the ragu in individual bowls, spooned the sauce over the pasta and sprinkled with parmesan before serving.

*Leftover ragu freezes well in airtight plastic containers.

Italian, Recipes, Salad

Chopped Salad with Radicchio & Chickpeas

November 3, 2013

I have this salad at least once a week, it’s that good. One of the primary ingredients is also one of my favorites: radicchio. Its color adds a beautiful splash to salads and I enjoy its slightly bitter flavor. The combination of the crunchy lettuce, hearty beans, savory bits of cheese and salami and a zesty oregano infused dressing is superb. Radicchio keeps well for a week or so and can be freshened up in a bath of ice water if needed.

Peppered salami? Why not!

Chopped Salad with Radicchio & Chickpeas

Adapted from Nancy Silverton’s Mozza cookbook

2 generous servings

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

(Updated 1/02/14 – a bit more vinegar and less olive oil from original post)

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 small garlic clove, grated

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salad

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced

1/2 head radicchio, thinly sliced

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes cut in halves

3/4 cup chick peas, rinsed and drained

1/4 small red or white onion, sliced into thin slivers

1 1/2 ounces (about 8 slices) peppered salami

1/8 pound provolone or cheese of your choice, cut into 1/8 inch slices

1/8 cup sliced pepperoncini

Preparation

Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking to form an emulsified vinaigrette. Taste and adjust seasonings adding extra salt, pepper and lemon juiced if you prefer a more tart dressing.

Combine shredded lettuce, radicchio, tomatoes, chick peas, onion, salami, cheese, and pepperoncini in a salad bowl. Drizzle vinaigrette, tablespoon by tablespoon over the salad tossing gently to combine and evenly coat all ingredients.

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Cheesy Beef Stuffed Shells

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Puff Pastry Tomato Tarts

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Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

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Homemade Pizza Sauce

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Rigatoni with Spicy Calabrese-Style Pork Ragu

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Chopped Salad with Radicchio & Chickpeas

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