Stuffed Shells

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Start to Finish Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Yield: 40 stuffed shells

• Ingredients

  Pumpkin Puree:

  • 2 tablespoons Aurora extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 medium pie pumpkin

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 1 teaspoon Aurora minced garlic

  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme

  • 2 cups Aurora chicken stock

  Stuffing:

  • 2 tablespoons Aurora extra virgin olive oil

  • 375 grams turkey sausage breakfast link

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped

  • 2 medium carrots, finely chopped

  • 2 stalks celery, finely chopped

  • 1 teaspoon Aurora minced garlic

  • 3 medium leeks, thinly sliced

  • 12 sage leaves, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 teaspoon rosemary

  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

  • 1/4 cup Aurora chicken stock

  • 475 grams Ricotta cheese

  • 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano cheese

  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest

  • Aurora kosher salt, to taste freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  Assemble:

  • 500 grams Pirro Conchiglioni Pasta Shells

  • Aurora coarse sea salt

  • Basso extra virgin olive oil

  • grated Parmigiano cheese

  • fresh chives, for garnish

  Serving Ideas: Place a spoon full of pure on a plate then the shells for a beautiful presentation.

• Directions

  To make the pumpkin purée, seed, peel, and chop the pumpkin into 2-inch pieces. In a pot, heat oil over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add pumpkin and thyme, season, and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in chicken stock to cover, bring to a boil, then simmer covered for about 12 minutes until tender. Purée until smooth, adding more stock if needed. Set aside.

  To make the stuffing, heat oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook the turkey sausage until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside to cool.

  In the same pan, sauté onion, carrots, celery, and garlic for 5 minutes. Add leeks, sage, rosemary, and nutmeg; season and cook 10–12 minutes until soft. Stir in chicken stock and cook until evaporated.

  Chop up the turkey sausage links and add them back to the pan, Stir

  to combine. Remove for the heat to cool.

  In a large bowl, combine the now cooled stuffing with the ricotta,

  Parmigiano cheese and lemon zest. Mix well.

  To assemble, cook the pasta shells in salted water to package

  directions. Drain and let them cool slightly to touch.

  Place a generous layer of pumpkin puree on the bottom of a casserole dish. Fill each shell with a tablespoon of the filling - nestling then into the dish.

  Top each shell with a little pumpkin puree. Drizzle with Basso evoo and a good grating of Parmigiano cheese.

  Cover with parchment paper then foil and bake in a preheated 425

  degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.

  Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Top with chives and serve.

  Enjoy!