Welcome to a recipe that spells comfort and indulgence in every bite! Stuffed Pasta in Tomato Sauce is a heartwarming dish with deep roots in Italian cuisine, where creating delicious meals for the family is a cherished tradition. This version features a savory and tender chicken filling, seasoned with aromatic herbs and spices, all tucked into large pasta shells. Bathed in a vibrant tomato sauce and blanketed with a generous layer of melted cheese, this baked pasta dish is not just a meal; it's an experience. It's perfect for a cozy family dinner, a special occasion, or whenever you crave a truly satisfying and flavorful dish.
Stuffed pasta in tomato sauce
Ingredients for Stuffed Pasta in Tomato Sauce
- 500 g large stuffable pasta (e.g., shells, manicotti)
- 600 g chicken fillet (or breast)
- 1 egg
- 1 onion
- a bunch of dill
- 5 g khmeli-suneli (a Georgian spice blend; can be substituted with Italian herbs)
- 30 g butter
- 30 g olive oil
- 150 ml tomato sauce
- 100 g hard cheese (e.g., Parmesan, Gruyère)
- salt, parsley
How to Make Stuffed Pasta with Ground Meat in Tomato Sauce
Make the ground filling from chicken fillet. Wash the meat in cold water, cut it into large pieces, and place it in a blender.
Slicing the chicken fillet
Add a raw chicken egg to the blender — it will act as a binder to hold the filling ingredients together.
Adding a chicken egg
For juiciness, add a classic ingredient for any ground meat filling — an onion, coarsely chopped. Blend the ingredients until you get a smooth, homogeneous mass.
Adding onion and grinding the filling
Add seasonings — khmeli-suneli (a fragrant Georgian spice blend), a finely chopped bunch of dill, and salt to taste. Mix the ingredients one more time, and the filling is ready. You can put it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Adding spices and chopped herbs
Heat a little olive oil for frying in a pan, add butter. When the pan is well-heated and the butter has melted, add the filling. Sauté over medium heat for a few minutes until partially cooked, just until the filling lightens in color.
Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to let the filling cool slightly.
Frying the filling
Pour 3 liters of boiling water into a pot, add 2-3 teaspoons of salt, and add the gramophone-shaped pasta. Cook for 5 minutes; do not cook until fully done, as they will start to stick together. Drain the al dente pasta in a colander, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Boiling the gramophone-shaped pasta until al dente
Firmly stuff the cooled pasta with the filling and arrange them on a board.
Stuffing the pasta with the filling
Grease a ceramic baking dish with olive oil. Add 50-80 ml of hot water and a pinch of salt to the tomato sauce.
Pour half of the sauce into the dish.
Pouring tomato sauce into the baking dish
Arrange the stuffed pasta snugly in the dish and add the remaining sauce.
Filling the dish with stuffed pasta and pouring over the remaining sauce
Finely grate the hard cheese. Sprinkle a thick layer of grated cheese over the dish. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius (340 degrees Fahrenheit).
Sprinkling the stuffed pasta in tomato sauce with grated cheese
Place the dish with the pasta on the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 25 minutes.
Baking the stuffed pasta in tomato sauce
Before serving, sprinkle the stuffed pasta in tomato sauce with ground black pepper and fresh parsley, and drizzle with high-quality olive oil.
Stuffed pasta in tomato sauce
And there you have it – a beautiful and delicious dish of Stuffed Pasta in Tomato Sauce, ready to be enjoyed! The aroma of the baked cheese, rich tomato sauce, and savory chicken filling is simply irresistible. Serve it hot, straight from the oven, perhaps with a fresh green salad and some crusty bread to soak up every last bit of the wonderful sauce. This dish is a testament to how simple ingredients can come together to create something truly special. We hope you love making and sharing this recipe as much as we do. Enjoy your meal, or as they say in Italy, Buon Appetito!
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