Effortless Creamy Seafood-Stuffed Shells (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Seafood Mixture

01 - 8 oz chopped shrimp
02 - 8 oz chopped crab meat
03 - 2 minced garlic cloves
04 - Juice of half a lemon
05 - 8 oz cream cheese in cubes
06 - 1 tsp red chili flakes
07 - 1 tbsp finely minced parsley
08 - Salt and black pepper as you like
09 - 1 tbsp Old Bay blend

→ Creamy Tomato Sauce

10 - 2 tbsp butter
11 - 2 minced garlic cloves
12 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
13 - ¼ cup tomato paste
14 - ½ cup cognac or brandy
15 - 1 can (28 oz) of tomato purée
16 - ¾ cup heavy cream
17 - 1 tbsp chopped parsley
18 - 1 tsp chili flakes
19 - Salt and pepper as preferred

→ To Assemble

20 - 6 oz jumbo pasta shells (about 20 pieces), cooked per instructions
21 - ½ cup parmesan, freshly grated
22 - Extra parsley, chopped for topping
23 - Extra chili flakes for garnishing

# Instructions:

01 - Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and let it warm up.
02 - Warm a little oil in a pan over medium heat. Toss in the shrimp and crab along with 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook for around 2 minutes or until the shrimp changes color, and the garlic smells lovely.
03 - Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir it well. Add the cream cheese pieces, and keep stirring until they fully dissolve (takes 3-4 minutes). Mix in Old Bay seasoning, 1 tbsp parsley, chili flakes, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Taste it, adjust if needed, and take it off the heat.
04 - Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and the rest of the minced garlic. Stir and cook until you see the onions turning soft and clear, about 3-4 minutes.
05 - Put the tomato paste into the pan and combine it with the softened veggies. Let it cook for 3 minutes, allowing the paste to stick a little for better flavor.
06 - Pour in cognac, scrape the bottom to mix in the bits sticking there, and reduce the liquid to about half.
07 - Add the tomato purée and cream, then stir it together. Sprinkle in red chili flakes and parsley. Keep simmering until the sauce feels a little thicker (5 minutes). Adjust salt and pepper, then turn off the heat.
08 - Spread the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish. Use a small spoon to stuff each pasta shell with seafood mix until full. Nestle each shell into the sauce inside the dish.
09 - Sprinkle parmesan on top of the shells. Pop the dish into the oven until it's hot and bubbly, and the cheese melts—around 20-25 minutes.
10 - Pull it out of the oven, let it sit for 5 minutes, and serve with extra parsley and chili flakes on top.

# Notes:

01 - These stuffed shells filled with seafood and cream taste great for family gatherings or festive dinners.
02 - The seafood mix melts perfectly with the thick tomato cream layer for an unbeatable combo.
03 - Prepare the sauce and filling before time, and store them separately. It'll make assembly the next day super quick.
04 - You can keep leftovers in the fridge for 3 days and reheat them gently in your oven.

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