Seafood-Stuffed Shells (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Seafood Mixture

01 - Juice squeezed from half a lemon
02 - 8 oz shrimp, coarsely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced finely
04 - 8 oz lump crab meat, cut into pieces
05 - Cubed cream cheese, 8 oz
06 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
07 - 1 tbsp chopped parsley
08 - 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
09 - Season with salt and black pepper, as desired

→ Creamy Tomato Sauce

10 - 1 (28-oz) can of tomato purée
11 - 2 tbsp butter
12 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
13 - ¼ cup tomato paste
14 - ½ cup cognac
15 - 2 minced cloves of garlic
16 - ¾ cup heavy cream
17 - Chopped parsley, 1 tbsp
18 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
19 - Flavor to preference using salt and pepper

→ Building the Dish

20 - 6 oz jumbo pasta shells (about 20), cook as directed on package
21 - ½ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
22 - Extra parsley, chopped, as topping
23 - Optional: More red pepper flakes for a kick

# Instructions:

01 - Set the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and let it preheat.
02 - Warm a small splash of oil in a nonstick pan on medium heat. Toss in the shrimp, crab, and 2 garlic cloves, stirring until the shrimp changes to pink and the garlic smells wonderful—about 2 minutes.
03 - Mix lemon juice into the seafood and stir well. Add the cream cheese cubes and stir constantly while they melt, which takes about 3-4 minutes. Finally, sprinkle in Old Bay, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Give it a taste and tweak the seasoning if needed, then turn off the heat.
04 - Melt the butter in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, cooking for 3-4 minutes until they're soft and look clear.
05 - Mix the tomato paste into the pan with the softened onions and garlic. Cook it for 3 minutes, letting it brown slightly to bring out the flavor.
06 - Pour in the cognac, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all those tasty bits. Let it simmer until the liquid reduces by about half, packing it with flavor.
07 - Pour in the tomato purée and stir in the heavy cream. Bring it to a low simmer. Add parsley and crushed red pepper, letting it cook for 5 minutes to slightly thicken. Sprinkle in salt and pepper, adjusting to taste.
08 - Spread the tomato cream sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Spoon the seafood filling into the cooked pasta shells, then nestle them gently into the sauce.
09 - Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese on top of the filled shells. Pop the casserole into the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges bubble and the cheese melts.
10 - Once baked, let the dish cool for a few minutes. Sprinkle with extra parsley and red pepper flakes before serving.

# Notes:

01 - These rich, cheesy stuffed shells are perfect for special dinners or entertaining guests.
02 - The creamy seafood stuffing paired with the tangy tomato sauce is an unbeatable combo.
03 - To save time, make the seafood filling and sauce ahead of time and store separately.
04 - Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat perfectly in the oven.

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