Stuffed Shells in Quick Bolognese

Ingredients

Kosher salt

16 jumbo pasta shells (about 6 ounces)

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

16 ounces ground turkey

3 cloves garlic, chopped

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

3 tablespoons tomato paste

½ bag baby spinach torn into small pieces

Red pepper flakes to taste

1 large carrot

4 small sweet peppers

½ sweet onion

8 ounce container  part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted bell peppers drained

1 large egg  

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

8 ounces mozzarella shredded

8 ounces parmesan grated

¼ to ½ cup red wine

Dried oregano

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water, then drain the pasta, set aside.

Meanwhile, rough chop the carrot, sweet peppers and onions.  Place in the bowl of a food processor and grind until mixture reaches finely ground texture. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the veggie mixture, red pepper flakes  and turkey to the hot skillet cook, breaking up the meat, until browned. Add the garlic and spinach; cook 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium; add the wine and reduce until the mixture is almost dry again. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 cup of the reserved cooking water, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let simmer while you make the stuffing and stuff the shells, adding more cooking water if the sauce gets too thick.

Preheat oven to 375. Mix the ricotta, roasted peppers, egg, half of the shredded mozzarella and ½ the grated parmesan. Stuff 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each shell; arrange in the skillet on top of meat mixture seam-side up. Top with the remaining cheeses.  Heat until bubbly and cheese begins to melt.  Reset oven to broil and cook until cheese is completely melted and slightly browned.