Pancetta and Mint Stuffed Shells (Makes enough to Freeze!)

Yummy, cheesy, saucy goodness! And it freezes! This recipe makes 1 large pan for now and a small pan to freeze for later. I have been known to double it and make 3 large pans (1 for now, 2 to freeze).

Ingredients:

• 1 box jumbo pasta shells
• 10 oz. thinly sliced pancetta (pancetta is an Italian bacon)
• olive oil
• crushed red pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 cups marinara (I make homemade, see how I do it here with my Italian mother-in-law's sauce recipe, you can use jar sauce)
• 30 oz. whole milk ricotta
• 1.5 cup grated Parmesan
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp ea. fresh parsley, basil, and mint
• 1 cup fresh shredded mozzarella
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil the shells for 7 minutes. Drain.

Chop the pancetta and garlic. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil on med heat. Saute the pancetta for 5 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 min. Add to your marinara sauce (see my recipe here).

Now make the pasta filling. Mix the ricotta, egg yolks (save the whites for later), Parmesan, parsley, basil, mint, and 1 tsp pepper.

I pile the herbs together and chop them together to save time.

Shred your mozzarella.

Put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of your casserole dishes.

Fill your shells with the filling. Put in your prepared dishes.

I had a handful of shells left and not enough filling. So I just pile them in the corner of my pan, cover with sauce and bake. But that's not necessary, most people just toss them.

Top with sauce.

Top with mozzarella.

Cover the one to freeze with foil. I do a double layer. Freeze it uncooked. Cook it frozen at 350 for 45-60 minutes until it's bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Bake the other one for 30 minutes. It's done when it's bubbly and the cheese is melted. I like the top a little browned, so I turn the broiler on for about 90 seconds just to slightly brown the top.

I served with a farmers market salad with spicy lemon basil vinaigrette.