Shrimp Stuffed Shells with Burst Tomato Sauce

Boil the shells in a pot of salted water according to package instructions for al dente, then drain. Toss the drained shells with cooking spray or olive oil to prevent sticking, then set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 F. Heat a large ovenproof skillet to medium-high with 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter foams, add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side until just barely cooked through, then remove from the skillet. Coarsely chop the shrimp, and add it into a bowl with the ricotta, mozzarella, half the parsley, and some salt and pepper. Stir the mixture together, and set aside until ready to use.

In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium to make the tomato sauce. Add the tomatoes and the wine and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes start to blister on the skin. Use the back of a spoon to squish the tomatoes until they burst, then add half the remaining butter (about 3 tablespoons) and the minced garlic. Stir for 5 more minutes until the tomatoes break down and the garlic softens, then taste and add salt and pepper to your preference.

At this point, we have cooked noodles, prepped the filling and made the sauce! Carefully put some of the filling into each of the shells (don’t overfill them since the cheese will melt and get gooey), and place them open side facing up in the tomato sauce. Continue until all the filling is used (save leftover shells for another use), then sprinkle the skillet with the Parmesan cheese.

Put the skillet into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is browned on top, then sprinkle with the remaining parsley and a squirt of lemon juice. Serve with crusty bread.

Note: You can make this in advance! Go all the way to the final baking step and refrigerate the prepped skillet before baking, covered, for up to 4 days. Then, bake before you’re ready to eat.