I went by the old apartment this afternoon. By myself, one last time. I said good-bye to the park in the front, and the big trees in the back. I think I'd have a harder time leaving, but we still have friends on the block, and I suspect it'll be no big deal to swing by and hang out on the steps on nice days. Up the street, the mountain of cardboard boxes is gone. That, and getting dinner on the table the first night in, felt great. Wayne loves stuffed shells - straight up, red sauced, ricotta-stuffed snails of baked deliciousness. It has been a while. And so that's what I made.
Before I dive into the specifics related to dinner, I thought I'd share some snapshots I took in the new place the first afternoon. A few of the little details I crushed on hard when I first walked in. The apartment is old, pre-earthquake, but beautifully restored. I love the antique built-in mirrors, the miles of molding, and the etched glass above each doorway. The details are so interesting that I find myself wanting to keep some of the spaces nearly empty, to let the building just be. We'll see...
Dinner. I admit, stuffed shells are a bit of a cheat for a first-night meal. I mean, I did all the prep ahead of time, and then drove the shells up the street in the backseat of the car. But, man, did they hit the spot after an incredibly long day. And it was no big deal to make them. Even though most of the kitchen was packed up, I made a quick pot of my favorite tomato sauce a couple days out. The day prior to the move, I made the ricotta filling, stuffed the shells and arranged them in a big baking dish. All I had to do is get them to t! he new a partment without dropping them, and wash a mixing bowl and spoon.
Before I let you loose with the recipe, a few notes. I do these shells with lemon zest in the filling and in the sauce. Not typical, but really tasty. I also love the pop of heat you get from the red pepper flakes in the sauce. I baked this batch of shells family-style, in one big pan. But, you can bake individual portions in ramekins, gratin dishes, or Staubs, if you like. Play around with the ricotta filling too - sometimes I add chopped olives, or chopped spinach, herbs, roasted seasonal vegetables, etc.
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