I have been asked to make homemade stuffed shells as my contribution to our Christmas Eve family celebration this year.  This is a family favorite and is a dish you can always count on for either low-key family dinners or something much fancier. 

Here is what I do:

First, I make a marinara sauce with sautéed onions and garlic, spices, canned tomatoes, and red wine. Delicious.

Then I make the filling: Into a big bowl, I pour out a 32-ounce container of partially skim ricotta cheese, add lots of grated mozzarella cheese, a generous amount of Parmesan cheese, and enough chopped parsley to make it colorful.

At this point, I put a big pan of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. I then add two boxes of pasta shells, wait 9 minutes, then drain them.

I stuff the pasta shells, place them in a big baking dish over a bit of the marinara sauce, and repeat the process until all the shells and the filling are gone. Then I cover all the shells with marinara sauce, followed by both mozzarella and parmesan cheese, and then pop the pan into a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes.

This dish goes perfectly with a great salad and French bread.  

You can also make it ahead so that on the day you’re serving it, you just preheat the oven and pop it in.

I highly recommend this tried and true recipe. Your family and friends will already be asking for more shortly after their first bite.