French Onion Stuffed Shells

This is exactly the type of recipe that is way too much work for our family, when the odds were good that I'd be the only one super excited by it. However, that's the joy of having childcare providers who routinely eat with us. There's a better chance of them liking something that's out of our usual wheelhouse, so I took advantage of that to make these piles of delicious cheesiness from How Sweet Eats. 

First, everyone except my oldest son thoroughly enjoyed these. (My younger son thought they were finger food and ran around with the one he stole from the counter.) These are a lot of work, probably close to 90 minutes to prep when you factor in the dishes and such, but oh ... my ... goodness. I loved these! They were great the first time, and the leftovers were fantastic as well. I won't likely repeat these often due to the time commitment, but they are absolutely worth making for a special meal. 

French Onion Stuffed Shells

4 sweet onions, thinly sliced

4 Tbsp. butter

Salt and pepper for seasoning throughout

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz. jumbo pasta shells

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 egg,

1 cup grated gruyere or Gouda

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 Tbsp. flour

1 1/2 cups chicken, beef or vegetable stock

1/3 cup cream

1 cup grated mozzarella

1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Heat the butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions with a pinch of salt and pepper, along with the thyme. Cook, stirring often, until the onions carmelize, about 30 minutes. (Note: I did mine in a regular skillet and baked in a separate dish, so I could divide them into separate meals.) 

Meanwhile, cook and drain pasta shells, according to package directions. 

Once onions are carmelized, add garlic. Turn off heat, but leave them in the pan. Preheat oven to 400°F. 

In a bowl, stir together ricotta, egg, gruyere or Gouda, parmesan and a pinch of salt, pepper and thyme. Take half the carmelized onions from the pan, and stir them into the ricotta to finish your filling. Fill each shell, stuffing it full but not overflowing. ­

Turn the heat to medium-low for the remaining onions in the pan. Stir in the flour, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add the stock while stirring, and cook for another couple minutes to thicken slightly. Stir in the cream. Place the shells open side up in the sauce (or drizzle the sauce over the shells if you're baking in a separate dish). Top with mozzarella cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Serve warm and enjoy! Makes about 20 to 25 shells.