Stuffed Shells

It's Mother's day, and that means stuffed shells.

I make both meat and cheese stuffed shells. The following amounts are for 3 pounds of shells, half meat and half cheese, and need about 8 cups of tomato sauce.

For the cheese:

• 3 pounds ricotta
• 2 pounds mozzarella
• 1 pound Parmigiano Regiano
• 3 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate.

For the meat:

• 3 pounds ground beef
  
• 3 cloves garlic minced
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
  
• 1 pound mozzarella
  

Cook the meat, onion, and garlic until the meat is brown and the onion is soft. Remove excess fat. Cool, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix.

For both:

8 ounces Parmigiano Regiano to finish

Assemble the shells:

1. Cook the shells, half at a time, according to the package directions, then spread them out on a cookie sheet or aluminum foil so they don't stick together.
2. Cover the bottom of a baking dish (I use disposable aluminum pans) with tomato sauce.
   
3. Stuff the shells with a spoon, and add in one layer to the pan.
   
4. Cover with more tomato sauce.
   
5. Sprinkle with Parmigiano Regiano
   
6. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

Meatballs

Whenever I make tomato sauce, I also make meatballs.

Note that I use only beef. Most people will suggest that you use some combination of beef, pork, and veal, but I cook the way my mother taught me.

• 2 lbs ground beef
  
• 1 small onion minced
  
• 2 cloves garlic minced
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano Regiano cheese
  
• 2 cups fresh Italian bread crumbs
  
• extra-virgin olive oil for frying
• salt and pepper
  

I make meatballs in two different sizes: a little bigger than a golf ball for tomato sauce, or about the size of a marble for soup.

1. Mix all ingredients except the olive oil in a bowl. Don't over mix.
   
2. Brown meatballs on all sides in olive oil, or bake at 350F for 25 minutes.
   
3. Finish cooking the meatballs in tomato sauce for an hour or two.