Escargot-Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

• 11 tbs. unsalted butter room temp.
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into thin slivers
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 cups dry white wine
• 1/4 cup Penrod
• 48 canned snails, drained and rinsed
• 4 oz. prosciutto, cut into julienne
• 2 packages (10 oz. ea.) frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• Salt anf freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 12 oz. large pasta shells
• 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 3 tbs. minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Melt 6 tbs. of the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 15 min.

2. Add the garlic, 1 cup of the wine, the Penrod, and snails. Cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Stir in the prosciutto and the spinach and cook 5 min. more.

3. Add the cream, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the Parmesan. Keep warm while cooking the pasta.

4. Cook the pasta shells in boiling salted water until tender but still firm. Drain.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with 2 tbs. of the butter.

6. Fill each pasta shell with a heaping spoonfull of the snail stuffing and place, filledside up, in the pan.

7. Process the bread crumbs, parsley, and remaining 3 tbs. butter in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until combined. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the shells. Drizzle the remaining 3/4 cup wine over the shells.

8. Bake until the top is browned, 30 to 35 minutes, Serve immediately as a main course, or serve 1 or 2 as an appetizer.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: Silver Plate Good Times Cookbook
Submitted By: Rick Smith
rick@epicurean.com
Escargot-Stuffed Shells