Stuffed Shells Makeover

Italian dishes are primarily known for two things...#1 being yummy, and #2 being high in calories.  This recipe takes shells filled with yummy gooey-ness from 860 calories, 49 grams of fat, and 25 grams of saturated fat down to 510 calories, only 15 grams of fat, and a measley 7 grams of saturated fat.Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce
serves 6

meat sauce

• 6 oz 93% lean ground beef
• 1 Tbl soy sauce
• 3 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatos
• 1 Tbl olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 Tbl tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil

stuffed shells

 

• 1 (12 oz) box jumbo pasta shells
• 12 saltines, broken into pieces
• 2 1/2 cups fat-free cottage cheese, drained if runny
• 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbl chopped fresh basil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

1.  Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.  Pulse beef and soy sauce in food processor until well combined; transfer to medium bowl.  Add tomatoes to processor and pulse until coarsely ground.

2.  Heat iol in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in beef mixture, breaking up mixture with wooden spoon, and cook just until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.  Add tomato paste, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir in processed tomatoes and salt and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 25 minutes.  Off heat, stir in basil; set aside.  (Sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for 3 days.)

3.  Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot.  Add 1 Tbl salt and shells and cook until al dente, 12 to 15 minutes.  Drain shells and transfer to kitchen towl-lines baking sheet.  Reserve 24 shells, discarding any that have broken.

4.  Pulse crackers in clean food processor bowl until finely ground.  Add cottage cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, garlic, and 1/2 tsp salt and process until smooth; transfer to large pastic storage bag.  Using scissors, cut off 1 corner of bag and pipe 2 Tbl filling into each shell.

5.  Spread half of meat sauce over bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish.  Arrange filled shells, seam side up, over sauce in dish.  Spread remaining sauce over shells.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake until bubbling around edges, 35 to 40 minutes.  Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.  Bake until sheese in melted, about 5 minutes.  Let cool 15 minutes.  Serve.