Oh Giada, what a complicated affair we have!
When Giada first came onto the Food Network scene I ADORED her. I thought her recipes were delicious, simple and a good way of doing Italian without getting to fancy with it. But over the years things changed. The shirts got lower, the manicures nicer, instant pudding became an ingredient and the recipes started becoming less and less Italian. Now the show is more like “kind of Italian with Giada”.
But I still have a soft spot for Giada De Laurentiis. The other day I was browsing through her Everyday Pasta cookbook. It’s not in my regular rotation of cookbooks but it’s one that has a good recipe or two. I stumbled across the stuffed shell recipe and thought it sounded fab and kind of decadent.
I went ahead and made a few substitutions. I nixed the turkey meat in favour of ground beef and pork. I’m just not a fan of ground turkey AND it can be pricey so I decided to go the hog/steer root. The other change was minor. The recipe called for frozen artichokes which I couldn’t find ANYWHERE. I went to a few supermarkets and the huge Italian grocery store and had no luck. I used jarred artichokes which I rinsed before using.
The recipe was FANTASTIC. Better than fantastic. I loved the combination of meat, cheese and artichokes. I was a little concerned about the addition of the artichokes but they really added great flavour. I brought leftovers to work and everyone was intrigued and seemed happy when they sampled them. This is definitely one of those recipes that’s great for a casual dinner party. You can make it in stages, assemble and cook right before company arrives.
Giada redeems herself.
Rating: **** 1/2 (out of 5)
Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce
- Serves: 6 to 8 servings
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.
To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)
Arrabbiata Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauceHeat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.
Yield: approximately 6 cups
(via FoodNetwork.com)
