Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce

I absolutely love Italian food! How could you not? There is just such an amazing richness to true italian cuisine. We went to Rome on our honeymoon 7 years ago and it didn't matter where we went it was all ridiculously amazing! I can still remember the antipasti and chicken cannelloni on the rooftop garden of our hotel that was accompanied by a couple bottles of wine while we watched the sunset over Rome. Perfect is the only word for that night. The Lasagna and Spaghetti Bolognese from the little restaurant down the street that was absolute heaven. We still joke to this day that we had dinner with the mob that night! No joke about 10 old guys (no women) walked in, hung there jackets up in a closet, and sat down at "their" table. All part of the experience, right?! Let's just say we drank alot of wine that night and tried not to make eye contact with anyone but each other! Haha! I can't wait until we go back...we have to...we threw money in the Trevi Fountain!

Back to food. So, today I am posting a recipe that I have made many times for many people. It's Giada De Laurentiis's recipe, Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce. Just sounds good right? Make it...I promise you will love it! I recently made it for the girls for the first time and they LOVED it! They ate three whole shells each! The best part...it makes so much that you can make an extra pan and freeze it before baking for an easy dinner night later! Buon Appetito!

Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce

Ingredients

• 12 ounces (1 box) jumbo pasta shells (approximately 36 shells)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing baking sheet
• 6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, diced
• 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 cups marinara sauce
• 2 (15-ounce) containers whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 1/3 cups grated Parmesan
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Lightly oil a 12 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish and set aside. Lightly oil the baking sheet and set aside.

Partially cook the pasta shells in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly tender but still quite firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. You will continue cooking the shells in the oven after they have been stuffed. Using a slotted spoon, drain pasta shells and place on oiled baking sheet, spreading them out so that they don't stick together and allow to cool.

Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring often.

In a medium bowl, stir the ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolks, basil, parsley, mint, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spoon 1 1/4 cups of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Fill the cooked shells with the cheese mixture, about 2 tablespoons per shell. Arrange the shells in the prepared dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with the mozzarella.

Bake in the lower third of your oven until the filling is heated through and the top is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.