Stuffed Shells, Help please

[BBQ COP]

Once again I am in need of help. Having a graduation party June 3rd, need recipe for stuffed shells first. My major problem is doing this for 100 people, not sure how to calculate the amount per person(how many shells), and how to scale the recipe ingredients. I am going to start making them June 2nd.

Please help if possible with the above. Thank you in advance.

Les

 

[marmalady]

Hi, Les - there are a lot of places on the web that have quantity recipes - if you google 'recipes for a crowd', or 'quantity recipes' + stuffed shells, you'll get lots of info!

 

[IcyMist]

Here is a recipe that received some good reviews from people who tested it out. I have not tried it, but it sounds tasty and the picture is pretty. It also has a place at the bottom of the page where you can change the servings and it will adjust the recipe amounts for you.

Hope it helps.

http://pasta.allrecipes.com/az/MnicttillRmn.asp

 

[mish]

My major problem is doing this for 100 people, not sure how to calculate the amount per person(how many shells), and how to scale the recipe ingredients.Les

Les, are you serving the shells as a main dish by themselves or with a side/over pasta? If it's the main dish, using jumbo shells, I would calculate about 4-6 per person -- and leave room for any mistakes or broken shells. It's a dish that freezes well, so you could start earlier and make ahead if you have enough freezer space. The large foil cooking trays/baking dishes sold at the market may be helpful to cook several at one time. If you would like some recipes, let me know -- but they serve about 6.

In a nutshell - boil the shells and prepare the filling, i.e. ricotta, parm, mozzarella, beaten egg, herbs, salt & pepper. Stuff the shells, put in a baking pan, cover with sauce, cover with foil & bake till heated thru. If you like sprinkle the top with extra mozzarella during the last 15 minutes or so of baking.

 

[Constance]

Gee, Mish...I can only eat two, at most, and I'm a pretty good eater. Maybe there are different sizes of jumbo shells?

 

[Michael in FtW]

I'm with mish ... how much you will need depends on how you intend to serve it ... could be 2-3 shells for an appetizer/pasta course or as many as 6-7 as an entrée - and how many other things you are going to feed them.

Get a box of "Jumbo Shells" and look at the recipes on the back. For a basic 3-cheese and spinach recipe ... for one box of shells (6 servings of 6-7 shells) the basic recipe is this (what I always use):

2 pounds Ricotta cheese
1/2 pound Mozzarella, shredded
3/4 cup Permesan, grated
1 10-oz bag frozen spinach - thawed, drained, and chopped
2 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon fresh chopped Greek oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Plus ... you need some sauce ....

 

[BBQ COP]

Thank you all for the great help. This is only one portion of the beef, pork, shells etc. I am making 300 shells and will go from there. I finally resolved if we run out of one food after a 10 hours event it will be just fine. I am a little anal to make sure things are correct and perfect, tough when you do not know what you're doing.

I have to tell you I can't wait till this is over.

 

[IcyMist]

Hmmmm where have I heard that before......oh yeah, ME!!!

 

[BigDog]

I have to tell you I can't wait till this is over.

Aw, cooking for a crowd is fun! I grew up at a camp working with the chef and staff (technically Sous Chefs I guess, but we all were seasonal employees working directly for the chef) cooking for anywhere from 100 to 250 kids, plus a staff of maybe 60 - 75 (whole camp staff, seasonal and FT). What a blast!

My theory with cooking for large numbers of people, especially if the dish(es) store/freeze nicely, is to over estimate, and if you continue to cook for such numbers, scale back accordingly. If you're planning for 100 people, you're thinking allots 3 shells per person. As previously noted, that's a seemingly reasonable quantity for each person, figuring some may go less, and some more.

That said, I think for a 10 hour event, that might be a little light. If everybody decides to eat at once, your 300 stuffed shells may only last as long as it takes them to get through the line. Now, I don't know what other items will be available (I am confident there will be other things, more like salads, side dishes, or finger foods), but that will have a role in how many sheels people eat.

Under the assumption of other items (salads, etc.) I would go with 400 shells. Maybe 350, but since they freeze well, why not 400? Then again, I'm of the mindset to be over prepared then under prepared. Of course, cost has to figure in for the long run, but on an infrequent occasion I'm of the paradigm of more is better.