A friend of mine recommended that I check our this blog called Trois Fois Par Jour. Its by a local Quebecer – a multi-talented young woman named Marilou Bourdon. She is a singer/songwriter, cook, blogger and now, author. I subscribed to her blog via Facebook and have really enjoyed the recipes she’s posted – Easy, innovative, local but with an international flair with accessible ingredients.

When I saw her new cookbook, Trois Fois par Jour – Premier Tome at Costco, I picked it up and kept it with me while shopping, not sure if I was going to buy it. I did end up buying it and said, “ I can always give it to someone as a Christmas gift ” mostly to curb my guilt related to over-buying cookbooks. I will soon be found under a heap of them, that will have fallen from my bookcase, which has no more room on its shelves and now has books stacked quite precariously here and there and in front of other books. So, as you can guess from my obvious “issues”, this one will not make it to the supposed recipient.  Also, I had bookmarked almost every single page so…that’s too many to photocopy so…. ” I’ll just keep it”, I reasoned.

Lately I’ve had a craving for stuffed pasta shells so I decided to try Marilou’s version. It seemed too easy, as the sauce is simply put together and goes into the casserole uncooked. (The sauce is the longest part of this dish normally) I was skeptical but curiosity and laziness won. I worried that the sauce would taste ‘raw’ and acidy but alas, it did not. It was perfect. Since this recipe is so quick it would be great for a weeknight dinner but also suitable for a weekend meal with dinner guests.

Since this recipe was published in French,  I will post this recipe in both French and in English 🙂 Scroll down for English.

Coquilles Géantes Alla Gigi – de Marilou

4-6 portions

30 minutes

Pour recevoir

Ingredients

18 coquilles à farcir

1 +1/2 tasse de fromage mozzarella , rapé

Pour la farce

1 c. à soupe de beurre

150g (env. 8 tranches) de panchetta haché grossièrement

227g de champignons de paris (ou champignons blancs), hachés grossièrement

1 gousse d’ail, hachée finement

Sel et poivre au gout

1 tasse de fromage ricotta

4 onions vers, émincés (3 si large)

1 oeuf

1/4 tasse de fromage parmesan frais , râpé (pour meilleurs résultats, achetez le morceaux et râpez à la main. Ca prends 2 minutes mais les résultats sont meilleurs)

Pour la sauce

1 tasse de coulis de tomates maison ou du commerce

1/4 tasse de crème 35% (ou 15%)

1/4 tasse de fromage parmesan (reggiano) , râpé (pour meilleurs résultats et goût, achetez le morceaux et râpez à la main)

2 c à soupe de persil frais, haché

1 c à thé de sucre (1/2 c. à thé suffit)

1 c à thé de sel

Poivre – au goût

Etapes

Préchauffer le four à 350F

Dans un grand chaudron d’eau salée et cuire les coquilles comme indiqué sur l’emballage (préférablement “al dente”) Egoutter et réserver

Dans une grande poêle, faire fondre le beurre puis saisir la pancetta et les champignons jusque’à l’obtention d’une belle coloration. Ajouter l’ail, assaisonner puis poursuivre la cuisson pendant 2 min.

Transférer dans un bol (laisser refroidir un peu) et ajouter les ingrédients pour la farce. Assaisonner, bien mélanger et réserver. (Ajoutez l’oeuf en dernier, après avoir gouté la farce et rectifié l’assaisonnement)

Dans un autre bol, mélanger tous les ingrédients pour la sauce et en verser la moitié au don d’un plat allant au four.

Farcir les coquilles avec le mélange de ricotta, puis les disposer dans le plat.

Recouvrir les coquilles du reste de la sauce, couvrir d’un papier d’aluminium puis enfourner pendant 30 minutes.

Retirer le papier, couvrir les coquilles de fromage mozzarella et passer sous le gril pendant quelques minutes, ou jusqu’à ce que le fromage soit bien doré

————————–English———————–

Ingredients

18 large pasta shells

1 +1/2 cups mozzarella , shredded

Ricotta Stuffing

1 tbsp of butter

150g (aprox 8 slices) of panchetta roughly chopped

227g of Paris mushrooms (or white mushrooms), roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 cup of ricotta cheese

4 minced green onion (3 if large)

1/4 cup of fresh parmesan  , grated (for best results buy a piece of Parmigiano Reggiano and grate by hand. It honestly takes two minutes but the taste will be grately improved)

1 egg

The Sauce

1 cup of fresh or store bought tomato coulis (passata)

1/4 cup of 35% cooking cream (or 15%)

1/4 cup of Parmigiano (reggiano) , grated (for best results buy a piece of Parmigiano Reggiano and grate by hand)

2 tbsp of parsley, minced

1 tsp of sugar (1/2 tsp is enough)

1 tsp of salt or to taste

Pepper – to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large pot of salted water , boil shells according to package (preferably to “al dente” as the pasta will continue to cook in the casserole) Drain and set aside.

In a large pan,  melt butter and sear panchetta and mushrooms until they develop a nice colouring. Add garlic and season. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Then add the rest of the ingredients for the stuffing. Season, mix and set aside. (add the egg after having tasted and adjusted your seasoning)

In another bowl, combine ingredients for the sauce and then pour half into your oven-proof casserole.

Stuff shells with your ricotta mixture and place into your casserole dish. (A heaping or rounded tablespoon of the mixture per shell)

Cover the shells with the rest of the sauce, cover with aluminum paper and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and cover shells with mozzarella. If desired quickly broil to melt the cheese and until it has achieved a light golden color.

Enjoy!

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