A bubbly, make-ahead baked pasta for entertaining.
These Crab Stuffed Pasta Shells, seasoned with Cluck & Squeal All Purpose Seasoning & BBQ Rub, are a perfect baked pasta dish for Good Friday. Prepare them ahead, then bake right before dinner.
The best part is pulling that bubbly, hot, perfectly cooked dish out of the oven.
Cluck & Squeal recipe
Cluck & Squeal Crab Stuffed Pasta Shells
Prep
30 min
Cook
40 min
Serves4
Cook temp350°F / 175°C
MethodOven
Directions
1
Sauté the Onion
Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat and sauté the red onion for 3–4 minutes. Turn the heat to high, add the white wine and cook until it evaporates. Set aside to cool.
2
Cook the Shells
Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the shells until just al dente. Slightly firm is better, since they'll finish cooking in the sauce in the oven.
3
Mix the Stuffing
Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. In a wide bowl, combine the crab, cheddar, mascarpone, Parmigiano-Reggiano, breadcrumbs, parsley and Cluck & Squeal All Purpose. Add the cooled onions last and mix well.
4
Stuff the Shells
Carefully fill each shell with the stuffing, using a small espresso spoon or your hands.
5
Sauce the Dish
Spread your favourite tomato sauce in a baking dish that holds all the shells snugly, then nestle them in. Keep the sauce no higher than ¼ inch below the tops of the shells. Too much sauce mellows out the flavours.
6
Bake
Reduce the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Bake covered for 10 minutes, then uncovered for about 20 minutes, until bubbly and a little browned and crispy on top. Serve and enjoy!
Pitmaster notes
Tips & variations
Best crab. Fresh or frozen precooked crab is best. If using canned, rinse it in cold water and add 1 tbsp lemon juice to the stuffing to balance the sodium.
A touch of heat. Add ⅛–¼ tsp Tasty Hot to the stuffing, depending on your heat preference.
Make ahead. Stuff and assemble the dish ahead of time, then bake it before dinner. Great for entertaining!
