ITALIAN PIGGY SHELLS
SHELLS
1 pound sweet Italian ground sausage
12-15 jumbo shells
1/3 cup diced onions
1/3 cup diced mushrooms
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced celery & leaf tops
3 tablespoons quality DRY sherry
Fresh ground salt and black pepper, to taste
1 batch Balsamella (Italian béchamel) recipe below
2 cups fresh tomato sauce
1/4 cup fresh torn basil (small pieces)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Add shells to boiling water for 4 minutes in boiling water. Drain in colander and rinse with cool water. Drain again.**
- Heat avocado oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add onions and celery, stirring to cook until soft.
- Add pork, cooking until completely browned. DRAIN off any fat.
- Add sherry and simmer over medium heat until liquid is completely absorbed, about 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from heat and cool.
Meanwhile prepare the balsmella sauce recipe below.
- Combine the meat mixture and the balsmella sauce until well blended.
- Combine tomato sauce and basil pieces.
- Pour half the sauce into the bottom of your baking dish.
- Carefully stuff each shell and arrange on sauce in the baking dish.
- Cover with foil.@@
- Bake 15 minutes.
- Remove foil.
- Drizzle remaining tomato sauce over top of all the shells.
- Sprinkle with cheeses.
- Bake 5 minutes more until cheese is melted and starting to brown.
- Garnish with basil.
**NOTE 1: BE SURE TO BREAK DOWN THE MEAT INTO TINY PIECES to make stuffing the shells easier. I use my NINJA to breakdown the meat mixture into a smooth consistency.
@@NOTE 2: This can be refrigerated overnight and baked the following day. Bring to room temperature before baking.
BALSMELLA (Bechamel)
1/2 tablespoon unsalted better
2 tablespoons Wondra flour
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
- Melt butter to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in flour until golden brown.
- Whisk in milk and nutmeg until well blended.
- Bring to a SLOW simmer, whisking intermittently. Simmer until it thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from heat and cool slightly.
**NOTE: Cook the shells 4 minutes ONLY – JUST enough to be pliable for filling! They will continue cooking while the dish bakes.