Giant Stuffed Pasta Shells

Obviously anything pasta,  and anything stuffed (especially stuffed with minced meat) is going to be a winner so I thought why not mix the two. Although it's a pretty common thing to eat, I had actually never tried this dish before, and it was served along with many other dishes for a dinner party I had last week (something I do a lot now to prevent wasting food), so it was just as much a surprise for me as it was for anyone else. I had to put the cherry on top of the cake and make the pasta shells crunchy.

These are almost-bite-size treats (depending on whose eating), that can be eaten as finger food, starters, or if you have enough, a whole meal.

I guess you could say this dish is a combination of my dedication to Middle Eastern food and my love for Italian food.

Just getting to buy these bad boys in the supermarket got me excited.

Dinner table of champions

The before shot. YOU WILL NEED: 11/2 PACK LARGE PASTA SHELLS (CONCHIGLIE) 2 LB MINCED BEEF 2 WHITE ONIONS, FINELY CHOPPED 2 CLOVES GARLIC, FINELY CHOPPED 2 TBSP TOMATO PASTE 1/2 RED CHILLI, CHOPPED 1/4 CUP PINE NUTS 3 TBSP POMEGRANATE MOLASSES SAUCE 1/4 TSP CINNAMON 1/2 TSP SUGAR SALT AND PEPPER OLIVE OIL FOR THE SAUCE: 1 ONION FINELY CHOPPED 2 TINS CHERRY TOMATOES 1 TBSP POMEGRANATE MOLASSES 1 TBSP SUGAR CHILLI FLAKES SALT AND PEPPER For the stuffing, in a large flat pan sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Once translucent, add the mince meat and break apart and cook until the liquid has extracted and evaporated and the meat is brown. Add the rest of the ingredients cook for another 10 minutes.  While the meat is cooking, make the sauce. Sauté the onions and garlic and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook until the tomatoes have mostly melted and taste the sauce to make sure there is no metal taste from the tin. (If there is, continue to cook until it's gone.) While these are cooking, boil the pasta a minute less than the directed amount.  Pour a layer of tomato sauce on the base of a large baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell with approximately a tablespoon of the meat filling and place open-side down on top of the sauce. Place the shells in lines until the dish is full. My recipe made approximately 20 shells. Brush the shells with olive oil.  At this point you can either and set aside (and once cooled save for later in fridge). Bake just before serving on 200 Degrees C or 390 F for about 20 minutes or until the top of the shells are slightly golden. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

 Enjoy!

<3 Emanuelle