These sausage ragù stuffed shells are a succulent recipe, easy to prepare and rich in flavour. They are a real joy to eat. Shells stuffed with a rich tomato-sausage ragù, enhanced with chorizo, fresh basil and some mozzarella cheese.
Oh, pasta. I adore pasta. It is one of the most loved foods on the planet. I mean, just think of carbonara, the classic lasagne al forno, caccio e pepe, the delicious tagliatelle al ragù or, let’s not forget, the mac’n’cheese. Omg, so delicious!
But how about stuffing the pasta instead of just (well, what does it mean JUST) mixing it with the sauce? There is pasta made specially for that. The pasta has to be large enough to be filled with the goodies. For instance, these shells as well as cannoli are a great idea.
These large shells or conchiglioni are that type of pasta, that reaches your creativity. In fact, you can stuff them with any flavourful ingredients and then combine them with a simple tomato sauce.
The secret to great stuffed shells is to make a gorgeous stuffing, that stays in the shells. In other words, not too runny and not too compact. I made a delicious sausage ragù, where I used onion, garlic, leek, carrots, sausage, tomato and basil. Additionally, I used a chorizo sausage, too. It brings a lovely spicy and smoky note to the ragù.
Oh, you simply have to try it! So good. It tastes amazing, rich and comforting. Of course, you can substitute the sausage ragù with a vegetable one or make the bechamel sauce you make for lasagne.
In order to keep the pasta shells al dente, cook them only for half of the time written on the package. Then, place them onto a tea towel keeping some space between each of them. They will continue to cook during baking and as a result, they will be perfectly al dente.
Stuffing the shells one by one is totally worth all the work. You and your guests will adore them. I can bet that.
Ingredients for sausage ragù stuffed shells (30x20cm or two 15x20cm):
- 30 large pasta shells (conchiglioni)
- 2 red onions (chopped)
- 1 carrot (diced)
- 1/3 of leek (chopped)
- 4 sausages (salsiccia, casing removed)
- 1-2 small chorizo sausages
- 3 garlic cloves
- olive oil
- 400 g tomato puree
- sea salt
- fresh basil
- 150-200 g grated mozzarella
To begin, prepare the tomato sauce. In a middle saucepan, add a drizzle of oil and a quarter of the chopped onions and one whole, slightly crushed, garlic (which you are going to remove later on). Cook until the onion turns translucent. Then, lower the heat to medium-low and pour in the tomato puree. Season with salt and let it simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on.
In the meantime, prepare the sausage ragù. Remove the casing from the sausages and pull them apart into chunks. Dice the chorizo. In a larger pan, drizzle some oil. Once hot, stir in the remaining chopped onion and the sausages. Brown the meat on all sides, stirring often.
Afterwards, add the sliced garlic, carrot and leek. Saute for 10-15 more minutes. Pour in a splash of water or wine and stir. Then, pour in three-quarters of the tomato sauce and fresh basil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a pot, add the water and bring it to a boil. Season with salt and throw in the pasta shells. Cook them exactly half the time that’s indicated on the package. Then, drain it and lay each shell on a tea towel. In order to prevent them from glueing together, keep them separate. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Add a spoon or two of the tomato sauce to the baking dish (squared or round) and spread it around the bottom of it. Then, stuff each shell with the salsiccia-chorizo ragu and some grated mozzarella, using a teaspoon. Place the stuffed shells into the baking dish.
After all of the shells are stuffed and in the baking dish, spoon the remaining tomato sauce between the shells and some on top. Cover the baking dish with a piece of aluminium foil and place it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 7-8 minutes.
Finally, remove the sausage ragù stuffed shells from the oven and allow them to rest for a couple of minutes. Divide between the plates and add some more fresh basil. You may serve it with a nice green salad or some roasted vegetables.
Enjoy.
