Shells stuffed with turkey and artichokes in arrabbiata sauce

Votes: 1

How to Make - Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells in Arrabbiata Sauce

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Complexity: easily
Servings: 6 - 8

Large stuffed pasta shells are an easy-to-make yet delicious and impressively presented Italian dish. For the filling, ground turkey is pan-fried with onions, spices, and artichokes, then mixed with ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, and fresh herbs. Large shells, boiled to al dente, are then stuffed with this juicy meat filling, topped with a spicy arrabbiata tomato sauce, and topped with mozzarella. You can bake the shells immediately and serve, or freeze them in the pan and bake them in the oven before serving, without defrosting.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

Shells and minced meat

340 g large shell pasta (recommended: Barilla)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
450 g of ground turkey
0.5 tsp coarse salt + 0.5 tsp.
1/4 tsp ground black pepper + 1/4 tsp
1 package (220-280 g) frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped
1 package (425 g) of ricotta
3/4 tbsp. grated parmesan
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
5 cups Arrabbiata sauce, see recipe below;
1.5 tbsp. grated mozzarella (about 140 gr.)

Arrabbiata sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
170 g pancetta slices, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 tbsp. fresh or store-bought marinara sauce

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 4-5 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled meat with the ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, basil, parsley, remaining salt, and black pepper. Stir.
Line the bottom of a 22 x 32 x 5 cm baking dish with 1 cup of arrabbiata sauce. Cup a shell and fill it with about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until you've filled the entire bottom of the baking dish, about 24 shells. Drizzle with the remaining arrabbiata sauce and sprinkle with grated mozzarella.

Note

If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Store for up to 1 month..
To bake, preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Bake until the shells are heated through and the cheese begins to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if unfrozen).

Arrabbiata sauce:

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until softened, 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.