Turkey And Artichoke Stuffed Shells With Arrabbiata Sauce

I love this recipe.  The best part for me is that I make two dinners at once.  The Arrabbiata sauce is awesome and can be just used by itself on pasta.  So I made this recipe (all four of us ate and we had leftovers)  but split the shells between two baking dishes.  One I cooked tonight, the other is in my freezer for a future dinner.  To increase the veggie content, we had a salad with "Outback" honey mustard dressing.  The recipe came from one of those secret restaurant recipe cookbooks.  Its pretty close and very tasty.

Turkey And Artichoke Stuffed Shells With Arrabbiata Sauce

1    (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (recommended,Barilla)
3 T  extra-virgin olive oil
1/2    large yellow onion,chopped (about 1 cup)
3 ea garlic,chopped
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 t  kosher salt,plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/4 t  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 c  grated Parmesan
2    eggs,lightly beaten
1/4 c  chopped fresh basil leaves
2 T  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
5 c  Arrabbiata Sauce,recipe follows
1 1/2 c  grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)
 Arrabbiata Sauce
2 T  extra-virgin olive oil
6    ounces sliced pancetta coarsely chopped
2 t  crushed red pepper flakes
2    garlic cloves,minced
5 c  jarred or fresh marinara sauce
[Note: i split this recipe between two baking dishes.  I freeze one
and cook the other.  I serve with salad ]

Make the Arrabbiata sauce (instructions at the end)
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 (covered for 45 of the minutes) until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60-70 minutes
(20-30 minutes uncovered if shells are unfrozen.)


Arrabbiata Sauce
Heat 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


 Outback Honey Mustard Dressing
 8 Servings

1 c  Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
1 c  Honey
2 t  Vegetable oil
1 t  lemon juice
Whisk ( in electric mixer if you have it) until the ingredients have
blended together well.