Stuffed Shells with Broccoli Rabe Pesto and Sausage

Stuffed Shells are a classic Italian comfort dish made for gathering, and this Bianco & Sons take is the kind of recipe that instantly earns a spot on your holiday table. Jumbo shells are filled with a creamy, savory blend of ricotta, broccoli rabe pesto, and Bianco & Sons Broccoli Rabe and Cheese sausage, then baked in a rich pomodoro until bubbling and golden. Every bite is hearty, indulgent, and deeply satisfying, striking the perfect balance between nostalgic Italian flavor and a fresh, elevated twist that makes this easy pasta dish feel special enough for hosting and crave worthy enough to make again and again. Recipe created in partnership with J Squared Eatz.

Prep Time: 35-45 minutes | Cook Time: 15-20 minutes | Total Time: 50-65 minutes

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

Broccoli Rabe Pesto

• 4 stalks of broccoli rabe
• 1 cup basil, loosely packed
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/3 cup pistachios (roasted and salted)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1/3 cup diced Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup EVOO

Pomodoro

• 10-15 cloves of garlic, sliced thin on a mandoline (use a knife if you don’t have a mandoline)
• 2 (14 oz) cans Pastene canned cherry tomatoes 
• 1/3 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio)
• 4-5 basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons cold butter
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Sausage, Ricotta and Pesto Filling
• 3 Bianco & Sons Broccoli Rabe and Cheese sausages, casing removed
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1/2 cup broccoli rabe pesto, from above recipe
• 1 egg
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, whole milk low moisture
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 

Extra Ingredients

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella, low moisture
• EVOO
• 1/2 pound jumbo pasta shells

METHOD

• Preheat Oven
• Preheat oven to 400°F.

1. Make Pomodoro
   1. Add small chunks of Bianco & Sons Broccoli Rabe and Cheese sausage to a cold sauté pan with about 2 TBSP of EVOO. Cook through.
   2. Pull cooked sausage from pan and reserve for later. Reserve sausage fat and brown bits (the fond) in the pan.
   3. Add 2 TBSP EVOO and bring to medium low heat. Add sliced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. 
   4. Deglaze with Pinot Grigio, scraping up the fond on the bottom of the pan.
   5. Add both cans of cherry tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer.
   6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   7. Smash tomatoes with a potato masher and cook sauce for about 10 minutes.
   8. Add basil leaves to sauce and blitz with an immersion blender (or food processor/blender) into a smooth puree. Return to pan.
   9. Add butter 1 TBSP at a time off heat, using a fork to move it around the saucepan.
   10. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
2. Make Broccoli Rabe Pesto
   1. Blanch broccoli rabe in boiling, salted water for 60-90 seconds. Shock in an ice bath until completely cooled. Drain and wring out excess water in a clean kitchen towel. Roughly chop and set aside.
   2. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano chunks, pistachios, garlic, and a pinch of salt to a food processor. Blitz until texture of sand.
   3. Add broccoli rabe, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper to processor.
   4. Pulse mixture 8-10 times.
   5. With the food processor running, stream in EVOO until pesto forms into a smooth sauce.
   6. Adjust seasoning, add to a bowl, and set aside.
3. Make Filling
   1. Add ricotta, broccoli rabe pesto, egg and Parmigiano-Reggiano to food processor (use the same one as the pesto). Blend until smooth and combined. 
   2. Add 1/2 of the crumbled Bianco & Sons Broccoli Rabe and Cheese sausage and shredded mozzarella to processor and pulse until combined, 3-4 times. Adjust seasoning to taste.
4. Cook Shells
   1. Add shells to boiling, salted water. Cook 2 minutes short of al dente on package intructions. Strain pasta and lay out on a sheet pan to dry. Let cool slightly.
5. Stuff Shells
   1. Add pomodoro sauce to the bottom of a cast iron pan (Pyrex or other deep-walled pans work).
   2. Stuff shells individually with filling, about 1 TBSP per shell, placing each completed shell onto sauce in a circular pattern. Tightly pack the shells so they hold each other up.
   3. Once all shells are placed on top of the sauce, add more sauce to cover shells. Sprinkle remaining crumbled sausage on top, followed by 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella.
   4. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
   5. Let cool, add dollops of pesto and torn basil to garnish.

TO SERVE

• Portion onto individual plates or serve family style and dig in as a group.
• Mangia!