Week 34 :: Meal Time -- Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Ricotta Stuffed Jumbo Shells

serves 4-6
Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes

What you'll need:

25-30 Dry Jumbo Pasta Shells
lemon zest from one lemon (if desired)

Filling:
1 15oz container ricotta cheese
1 egg (beaten)
1/4 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1 C grated mozzarella
1 bunch chives (chopped)

Sauce:
(you can make this sauce if you want, this is from the original recipe, but let's be serious, I just used 1 jar of Bertolli's Tomato and Basil sauce and it was delicious!)

1/3 C extra virgin olive oil + 1 Tbsp for the pan
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
4 medium cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 28-oz can crushed red tomatoes + 1 14-oz can crushed red tomatoes



What you'll do:

Oil a 9 X 13-inch pan, or equivalent, and sprinkle 1/2 the zest across it. Set aside. Get a big pot of water boiling and preheat your oven to 350F with the oven rack in the middle.

(You probably won't be able to fit 25-30 shells in your pan, but a few are always casualties of the boil, so I call for more than you'll likely need.)

To make the sauce:
Combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and garlic in a cold saucepan. Stir while you begin to heat the saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute for just about 45 seconds or until everything is fragrant, (you don't want the garlic to brown). Now stir in the tomatoes and heat to a gentle simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully test. If you desire more salt, add a little more salt. Let cool.

(or if this seems like a lot of steps....just open up a jar of tomato based sauce, something like the four-cheese or tomato and basil are both good choices.)


To make the filling:
Combine ricotta cheese, egg and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until combined then stir in mozzarella, remaining lemon zest and 3/4 of the chives. Set aside.

Cook the jumbo shells according to package instructions in salted water until al dente. If you overcook, the shells will tear when you are trying to fill them. Drain and let cool, long enough to handle with your hands.

Spread 1/3 of the sauce across the bottom of the prepared pan. Fill each shell with ricotta mix and arrange in a single layer in the pan. Ladle the remaining sauce over the shells. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover for the final 15 minutes and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and chives. Bake  until shells are cooked through. Serve hot. Enjoy!!!

Thank you for the original recipe and idea from::
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/stuffed-shells-recipe.html