Sausage-and-Kale-
Stuffed Shells
6 ounces jumbo shells
(from a 12-ounce box)
Kosher salt and freshly
ground pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces spicy Italian sausage,
removed from casing
2 cups chopped kale leaves
(from 1 small bunch)
1 ½ cups ricotta (12 ounces)
6 tablespoons freshly grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano
8 ounces low-moisture
mozzarella, grated (2 cups)
3 cups homemade or store-
bought marinara sauce
(see below)
- Cook shells in a large pot of
salted boiling water 5 minutes;
drain. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet
over medium-high. Add sausage;
cook, breaking up with a spoon,
until cooked through, 3 to 5
minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add
kale and 1 tablespoon water to
skillet; cook, stirring, until wilted,
about 2 minutes. Season with
salt and pepper; transfer to plate
with sausage. Let cool completely,
then coarsely chop.
- Combine ricotta, ¼ cup Par-
migiano, ½ cup mozzarella, and
sausage mixture. Season with
salt and pepper. Stuff each shell
with 2 tablespoons filling. Spread
1 ½ cups marinara in a 9-by-13-
inch baking dish. Top with shells;
spread 1½ cups marinara over
top. Sprinkle with remaining
mozzarella and Parmigiano.
Cover with parchment-lined foil.
Freeze 1 hour, then wrap entire
dish in plastic and keep in freezer
up to 3 months.
- Preheat oven to 375°. Remove
plastic and bake, covered, until
heated through and bubbling
around edges, 1 hour. Uncover;
bake until cheese is bubbling
and golden in spots, about
20 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes
before serving.
ACTIVE TIME: 30 MIN. | TOTAL TIME: 2 HR.
30 MIN., PLUS FREEZING | SERVES: 6 TO 8
Polar Express
Dinner is truly on-demand when all you have to do is hit “preheat.”
These crowd-pleasers—stuffed shells, a flavorful spin on samosas, breaded
fish fillets rated E for everyone—fly from freezer to oven and onto the table.
TEXT BY GREG LOFTS RECIPES BY SARAH CAREY
|CONFIDENT COOK |
The shells in this
dish finish cooking
as they absorb the
sauce. Parboiling
them for just five
minutes ensures
al-dente results,
even from frozen.
FREEZER SMARTS
- To help prevent
large ice crystals
from forming,
let food cool com-
pletely before
freezing it.
- Freeze sm all items
(like hand pies
or fish fillets) in a
single layer. Once
they’re frozen,
wrap them individ-
ually in plastic;
transfer to freezer
bags to store.
- Label wrapping
with the date and
reheating instruc-
tions, and enjoy
within three months.
SAUCE IN A SNAP
Simply hover your phone over this smart
code to get our favorite marinara recipe.
72 SEPTEMBER 2019
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