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America's Melting Pot
Stuffed Shells hero image coming soon
1900-1929 - Italian-American immigrant families and community cooks.
Stuffed Shells consist of large pasta shells filled with ricotta cheese mixture, covered with tomato sauce and baked until bubbly. This dish traces to Italian-American families in the 19th century and remains a popular comfort food with variations across the U.S.
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Difficulty
Medium
Prep time
30 minutes
Cook time
35 minutes
Total time
1 hour 5 minutes
Servings
6-8
Region
New York and New Jersey Italian American Sunday-dinner kitchens
Era introduced
1900-1929
Introduced by
Italian-American immigrant families and community cooks.
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Italian immigrants arriving in the United States in the late 19th century brought many pasta traditions, including stuffed shells. This recipe showcases a filling of ricotta mixed with herbs and cheese, nestled in tender jumbo pasta shells, covered with tomato sauce, and baked to meld flavors. Stuffed shells became a family favorite noted for its comforting richness and adaptability to available ingredients, symbolizing Italian-American culinary continuity and adaptation.
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