I don’t have the energy to stuff an individual shell
who among us
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Something that I’m working on “in life” is to let go of things that simply don’t matter. Picking my battles, etc. This could get really personal really quickly but frankly, today I’m not in the mood, so I’ll tie this back to: pasta. Specifically, baked pasta. I like lasagna and a classic stuffed shell as much as the next nonna but I’ve come to accept that the attention to detail in either of those dishes is not something I have the energy for these days. And guess what? It doesn’t matter.
The photo of the baked shells in process was assembled lovingly and carefully with thoughtful layers. Before I could put it in the oven, the terra cotta baking dish cracked (pre-existing crack that I didn’t see). I didn’t have more of anything (pasta, sauce, desire) to re-make, so I shoveled everything into another dish (white baking dish pictured). The layers were all mixed together and disturbed, it really looked like an awful mess. But I covered it with more sauce and cheese, put it into the oven and said a little prayer to nobody and nothing in particular.
And guess what, it was stunning. It tasted incredible (humble), looked beautiful and nobody could tell that 40 minutes before it looked like I basically pureed everything together (gross). Leading me to conclude: when it comes to assembling a baked pasta, we can all relax (finally). No need to measure out the cheese or gingerly lay in one sheet of pasta at a time because maybe once it’s baked it kind of doesn’t matter. No ricotta being individually and painstakingly spooned into each shell because no I don’t want to spend my one precious life doing that tonight. Once it’s in the oven, out of the oven, on the table and the lights are dim and the spoon goes into the dish and everyone is so thrilled they’re eating cheesy baked shells, fighting for the crispy corners and browned bits, nothing matters, all your troubles melt away, Life Is Good.
This video started with big ambitions to make multiple dishes using this Gold Standard Tomato Sauce (baked pasta, lil pizzas, baked eggs, braciole, etc.) but this isn’t a two hour-long PBS special (not yet!). But just know that all those things are possible. There are crushed tomatoes, whole peeled (crushed by hand) tomatoes, onions and garlic, and lots of olive oil and like some other Gold Standard recipes in my repertoire, to me, it is perfect.
That said, this baked pasta is probably one of the best use cases for this perfect sauce, and done with a certain laissez-faire attitude that I’m currently attempting to cultivate, one of the easiest.
Special thank you to Brooklinen for sponsoring this week’s episode. Shop the Brooklinen Anniversary Sale for 25% off sitewide through 5/6. If you miss the sale, you can use code Alison20 for $20 off of orders $100+
For the full recipe, read on.
Director: Doron Max Hagay / Producer: Graham Mason / Photography Director: Eric Schleicher / Audio: Yves Albaret
Camera Operator: Alex Bliss / Camera Operator: Will Colacito / Editor: Maya Tippett / Graphics: Gordon Landenberger
Beautiful Baked Shells
serves 6—8
Less intensely indulgent than classic Baked Ziti and a lot less fussy than lasagna or stuffed shells, in my old age this is sort of the only baked pasta I’m making these days.
The tomato sauce here is my basic, gold standard sauce for nearly anything and everything— it’s got whole peeled and crushed tomatoes for a nice mix of chunky texture and smooth body, and yes, lots of onions and garlic. I really enjoy using shells here because I think it’s nice to make shells you don’t have to individually stuff, but of course (one lucky) rigatoni, or classic ziti work perfectly, too (personally, I can’t stand penne. It’s a prejudice I can’t overcome). For the cheese, it’s dollops of full-fat ricotta seasoned with raw garlic (I also add heavy cream to prevent it from getting that weird grainy texture), torn pieces of mozzarella and a good grating of Parmesan. For adjustments to suit your whims and preferences on the red sauce, scroll to the bottom of the recipe.
¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper
2 large or 4 small onions (12–16 ounces), diced
8–10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, plus 1 clove garlic, grated
½–1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, packed in juice
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup (8 ounces) ricotta
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 pound large pasta shells
½ pound salted mozzarella, roughly torn by hand or grated on a box grater
Parmesan, for grating
1. Make the tomato sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is totally softened and translucent (without letting it brown, turning down the heat if needed), 8 to 10 minutes. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them (including the juice) and the crushed tomatoes to the pot, stirring to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Fill the empty can about halfway with water, swirling to get any excess crushed tomatoes hanging around, and add it to the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low (or low, depending on your stove) and cook, stirring occasionally, letting it bubble gently, until the tomato sauce has thickened and flavors have come together, at least 30 minutes, up to an hour and a half if you have the time.
2. Make the cheese mixture: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, heavy cream, and 1 clove grated garlic. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Assemble the pasta: Heat oven to 425°. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, and drain, reserving a little water in case your sauce is too thick. Return pasta to pot and add two cups sauce, tossing to get the sauce gets in all the nooks and crannies.
4. When assembling, try not to fuss too much over the measurements, but be mindful that you can use less sauce than you think and still end up with something very saucy. Also, make sure you save a good amount of cheese and sauce for the last layer to give you a bubbly, browned top.
Spoon a bit of the remaining sauce in the bottom of a 3 quart baking dish, then add ⅓ of the pasta. Spoon a little sauce on top, then dollop with ricotta, and dot with mozzarella. Grate parmesan on top. Add another ⅓ of the pasta, followed by more sauce, more ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan. Add the rest of the pasta, more sauce, the rest of the ricotta, mozzarella, another good grating of parm, and some pepper (note: there’s a good chance you’ll have some pasta sauce left over– refrigerate or freeze for another time).
5. Place the baking dish on a foil-lined sheet pan, and loosely cover the baking dish with foil. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes before removing the foil and continuing to bake until it’s nicely browned and bubbling, another 20-ish minutes. Let cool at least 5 minutes or so before eating—it will stay VERY hot for a while, so don’t worry.
For toasted fennel red sauce: use 1 fennel bulb in place of ½ the onions; add 1–2 teaspoons fennel seed to toast in the oil before adding tomatoes.
For meaty red sauce: while onions are softening, add 1 pound ground beef, pork, lamb, turkey or sausage. Season well with salt, pepper (chili flake or fennel seed, if you want), and cook, breaking up the meat with your spoon or spatula until well browned, 8–10 minutes. Then go ahead and add tomatoes and cook per the instructions, maybe adding another 20–30 minutes.
Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 5 days ahead, refrigerated. It can be frozen for up to two months (probably longer).
The baked pasta itself can be assembled and baked several days ahead, kept wrapped and refrigerated– to reheat from cold, simply bake per the instructions above. It can also be assembled and frozen up to two months ahead– to reheat from frozen, keep wrapped in foil and bake at 325° until totally defrosted and bubbly (60-ish minutes), remove foil, increase temperature to 425° and bake until golden brown, 20 minutes or so.
I love Caputo’s mozzarella! Caputo’s forever!
I’m wearing this Rachel Antonoff cardigan in this week’s episode— looks like they’re sold out, but maybe she’ll restock?
This is the Le Creuset Dutch Oven I love and use constantly.
And this All-Clad stock pot. Invaluable!
AND, if that’s not enough excitement for one day, a reminder I’m going on tour (very soon !). Now’s your chance to ask me any questions IN-PERSON, what a thrill.
Find me in Denver, Seattle, Portland OR, Vancouver, San Francisco, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Brooklyn this May for the first and only tour of the year. Xx
I love the life lessons that you so casually throw in with your recipes! I recently had to cut out both gluten and dairy (RIP Lasagna) but I’m learning that I don’t have to work so hard to turn recipes like these into something that will suit me! I’m allowed to just not! It’s SO freeing! Just as you have found freedom in not stuffing your shells, I have found some in allowing myself to stop trying to make dishes that are MEANT to be cheesy, gluten-y, wonderfulness, into a sad version of a beautiful recipe. So, all that to say, I won’t be making this but as always I’m grateful for you and for your lovely work. 🥰
Amazing. This made me think that an Alison Roman Pasta Shape vs Sauce style matrix would be the dream