These rich stuffed shells are packed with a mixture of crabmeat, shrimp, and scallops, then baked with a creamy sauce and golden, buttery bread crumbs. It's like a crab cake stuffed into pasta. WHY IT WORKS Slightly undercooking the pasta during boiling ensures that it stays al dente during baking. The light béchamel looks too loose at first, but it thickens up as it bakes. Poaching the shrimp directly in the pasta water pot makes cleanup easier. Panko bread crumbs add extra crunch and texture. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: 9- by 13-inch baking dish NOTES: You will need about 18 shells total, but it's a good idea to cook extra to account for any that tear or break; half a 12-ounce box of jumbo shells should yield about 25. If you want, you can substitute the scallops with an equal quantity of additional shrimp. INGREDIENTS Kosher salt 6 ounces dry jumbo pasta shells (about 25 shells; 170g) (see note) Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling and greasing the baking dish 8 ounces (225g) peeled and deveined shrimp 1 pound (450g) lump crabmeat, picked over for shells 8 ounces (225g) dry-packed sea scallops, cut into small pieces (see note) 2 tablespoons (30ml) Dijon mustard 1/2 cup (120ml) mayonnaise Dash of Old Bay seasoning 1 medium shallot (about 2 ounces; 60g), minced Small handful minced flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish Freshly ground black pepper 3 1/2 tablespoons (50g) unsalted butter, divided 1 1/2 tablespoons (12g) all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups (360ml) milk 1 bay leaf 1 cup panko bread crumbs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100g) DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C) and set rack to middle position. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook shells according to package instructions for baked shells. (Many packages of jumbo shells will give a specific boiling time for dishes that are to be subsequently baked; if yours does not, cook shells for 3 minutes less than the package's recommended cooking time.) Using a spider, slotted spoon, or mesh strainer, carefully transfer shells to a large bowl of cold water until cooled slightly, then drain. (Reserve pasta-cooking water for next step.) Drizzle shells very lightly with oil and toss to coat. Set aside. 2. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Poach shrimp in same pot of pasta water until just barely cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, chill in ice bath, then drain again. Chop shrimp into small pieces. 3. In a mixing bowl, combine crabmeat with shrimp, scallops, Dijon, mayo, Old Bay, shallot, and parsley. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. 4. In a small saucepan, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons (20g) butter over medium-high heat (do not allow it to brown). Add flour and whisk to form a paste. Continue to cook, stirring, until raw flour scent is gone, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk in a thin, steady stream, or in increments of a couple of tablespoons at a time, whisking thoroughly and getting into all corners of pan to maintain a homogeneous texture. The sauce will initially be very thick, then get very thin once all the milk is added. Add bay leaf. 5. Heat, stirring, until sauce comes to a simmer and begins to thicken slightly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until sauce is thick enough to lightly coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf. 6. Lightly grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with oil. Spread 1/2 cup (120ml) béchamel sauce in an even layer on bottom of baking dish. Using a spoon, fill a shell with a large scoop of seafood mixture and place in baking dish with the opening side up. Repeat until baking dish is full. (You should be able to fit about 18 stuffed shells in the dish, and may have a few pasta shells left over.) 7. Spoon remaining 1 cup (240ml) béchamel sauce on top of shells. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons (30g) butter and toss with bread crumbs in a small bowl; season with salt. Sprinkle bread crumbs all over shells. 8. Bake shells until heated through, about 25 minutes. Switch oven to broiler setting and, watching very closely to prevent burning, broil until bread crumbs turn golden on top, rotating baking dish occasionally for even browning. Scatter minced parsley on top for garnish and serve.
This crepe-style manicotti dish features tender thin pancakes rolled around a rich and creamy veal ragù, layered with tomato sauce, and baked until bubbling and browned. WHY IT WORKS Béchamel makes a creamier, richer, and silkier sauce than the ricotta cheese called for by a lot of other recipes. Crepes made with milk instead of water have a better, more well-rounded flavor. Browning only half the veal ensures great flavor, while the rest is left soft and tender. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: 9- by 13-inch baking dish, 10-inch nonstick pan or crepe pan, hand blender or countertop blender (optional) NOTES: The ragù and tomato sauce can both be prepared up to 5 days in advance and kept refrigerated. The entire dish can also be assembled in the baking dish up to 1 day in advance and kept refrigerated until ready to bake; the baking time will be longer if the manicotti is cold from the fridge, so adjust accordingly. INGREDIENTS For the Ragù: 3 tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil 1 large (9-ounce; 275g) yellow onion, minced 1 medium (5-ounce; 150g) carrot, minced 4 medium cloves garlic, minced 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, stems discarded and needles minced 2 pounds (900g) ground veal, divided Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup (240ml) dry white wine 1 cup (240ml) whole milk 1 bay leaf For the Crepes: 2 cups all-purpose flour (10 ounces; 280g) 4 large eggs 2 1/2 cups (600ml) whole milk Kosher salt Unsalted butter, for the pan For the Béchamel: 4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter 4 tablespoons (60g) all-purpose flour 2 cups (480ml) whole milk Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Pinch freshly grated nutmeg To Assemble: 2 cups (480ml) tomato sauce, such as Quick and Easy Italian-American Red Sauce, Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce, or Fresh Tomato Sauce, divided Parmigiano Reggiano, for grating DIRECTIONS 1. For the Ragù: In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and beginning to turn golden, about 6 minutes. Add rosemary and half of veal and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot frequently, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes; make sure to break up veal into tiny bits as you go. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Add remaining veal and cook, breaking it up into small bits while scraping bottom of pot, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add white wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom and sides of pot, until raw alcohol smell cooks off, about 5 minutes. Add milk and bay leaf, bring to a simmer, then lower heat and cook at a bare simmer, stirring occasionally, until ragù is thick and meat is tender, about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf and season with salt and pepper; keep warm. 3. Meanwhile, Make the Crepes: Line a large plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, eggs, milk, and a large pinch of salt until smooth. Heat a 10-inch nonstick or crepe pan over medium-high heat. Add a small pat of butter and cook until melted, swirling to fully coat pan. 4. Add a ladleful of batter (about 3/4 cup; 175ml) to pan and immediately swirl to form a large, thin pancake. Cook until top of crepe begins to look dry and bottom is starting to brown, about 1 minute. Using a spatula, make sure crepe is free of pan, then flip with a spatula or your fingertips. (You can also toss and catch the crepe if you feel comfortable doing that.) Cook until second side is lightly browned, then transfer to parchment-lined plate or baking sheet. 5. Continue making crepes with remaining batter, adding more butter to pan each time and stacking crepes as you go. Set aside. 6. For the Béchamel: In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat (do not allow it to brown). Add flour and whisk to form a paste. Continue to cook, stirring, until raw flour scent is gone, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk in a thin, steady stream, or in increments of a couple of tablespoons at a time, whisking thoroughly and getting into all corners of the pan to maintain a homogeneous texture. Sauce will initially become very thick, then get very thin once all the milk is added. 7. Heat, stirring, until sauce comes to a simmer and begins to thicken slightly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 4 minutes. 8. Season with salt and pepper. Add nutmeg. If any lumps form, whisk thoroughly to remove them and smooth out sauce, or use a hand blender or countertop blender if lumps are particularly large or tough. Keep béchamel warm and press plastic wrap against its surface to prevent a skin from forming. 9. To Assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Mix 1 1/4 cups (300ml) béchamel sauce into veal ragù. In a 9- by 13-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup (240ml) tomato sauce in an even layer. 10. Working with 1 crepe at a time, set a crepe on a work surface and spoon a generous amount of ragù in a line slightly off center. Roll up crepe to form a stuffed tube and carefully transfer to baking dish. Continue filling and rolling crepes and arranging them alongside each other in baking dish until dish is full. You will likely have several crepes (this recipe intentionally makes extra to allow for a few duds and mistakes) and a small amount of ragù left over, which can be reserved for another use. 11. Spoon remaining béchamel in an even layer on top of rolled crepes, then top with an even layer of remaining tomato sauce. Grate Parmigiano Reggiano all over. 12. Bake manicotti in oven until heated through and lightly browned on top, about 25 minutes. Serve.
Spinach and ricotta manicotti is one of those dishes that are edible—dare I say, enjoyable—even under the most inauspicious of circumstances (think: cafeteria steam tables). So how great would it be if you optimized every ingredient and served it fresh from the oven? WHY IT WORKS Using fresh pasta sheets instead of dried manicotti shells makes for easier stuffing and better texture. Combining the spinach with arugula and draining it very well gives the filling more flavor. Drying the ricotta on towels before combining it with the spinach ensures that the filling doesn't become too watery as it bakes. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: 9- by 13-inch baking dish, salad spinner NOTES: Look for ricotta cheese that contains no gums or thickeners. The ingredients should include only milk, salt, and either vinegar or a starter culture. Our favorite widely available brand is Calabro. INGREDIENTS 1 pound (450g) high-quality ricotta cheese (see note above) Kosher salt 1 pound fresh homemade or store-bought lasagna noodles, cut into twelve 4- by 4-inch squares, or 6 sheets no-boil dry lasagna noodles 8 ounces (225g) fresh spinach, washed 8 ounces (225g) fresh arugula, washed 12 ounces (340g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided 4 ounces (120g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided 1 large egg 1 medium clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Freshly ground black pepper 2 cups (480ml) tomato sauce, such as Quick and Easy Italian-American Red Sauce, Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce, or Fresh Tomato Sauce, divided Small handful minced fresh parsley or basil leaves DIRECTIONS 1. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large plate or a rimmed baking sheet with a triple layer of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Spread ricotta on top and cover with more paper towels or another clean kitchen towel. Let drain for 5 minutes, then remove towels and transfer ricotta to a large bowl. (You may need to use a spatula to scrape all of the ricotta off the towels.) Set aside. 2. If Using Fresh Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Working in batches, add pasta squares to boiling water, 6 at a time. Cook for 30 seconds, then, using tongs, transfer to a clean kitchen towel to drain, laying them out in a single layer. Repeat until all pasta squares are cooked, reserving boiling water for step 4. Set aside, keeping squares separated from each other. Continue with step 4. 3. If Using No-Boil Lasagna Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Place noodles in a 9- by 13-inch casserole dish. Using a ladle, transfer just enough boiling water from the pot to cover noodles. (Keep remaining boiling water to boil spinach and arugula in step 4, adding more if water level gets too low.) Let pasta sit, agitating occasionally, until pliable but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta, then dry on a clean kitchen towel. Cut each noodle in half crosswise to make twelve 4- by 4-inch squares of pasta. Set aside, keeping them separated from each other to avoid sticking. Wipe casserole dish dry. 4. Add spinach and arugula to boiling water and cook just until wilted, about 20 seconds. Drain greens into the bowl of a salad spinner set in the sink. Run under cold water until thoroughly chilled, then spin in salad spinner to dry. 5. Spread greens over a clean kitchen towel or a double layer of paper towels and roll into a tight tube, pressing to remove excess moisture. Transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop. 6. Add greens to bowl with ricotta. Add half of mozzarella, half of Parmesan, egg, garlic, and nutmeg. Season with a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, then fold with a wooden spoon or spatula to combine. 7. Spread half of tomato sauce in an even layer in casserole dish. Working with 1 square of pasta at a time, place a few tablespoons of ricotta mixture in a row along the center of the square, then roll it up. Place roll, seam side down, in casserole dish. Continue until all of pasta and filling are used up. 8. Spoon remaining sauce over manicotti, keeping it tidy along the center of each row of rolls. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over sauce. Sprinkle all over with remaining Parmesan. Cover tightly with foil. 9. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is well browned and bubbly, about 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley or basil and serve. 10. Manicotti can be prepared through step 8 and refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking. Bake as directed in step 9.
