Stuffed Shells*

These stuffed shells are out of this world exquisite. They were so good my folks requested I make them a second night in a row. The ricotta cheese filling was so divine, and really could be adapted with anything else you have in your fridge or pantry. The originial recipe called for chives as an add in, but since I didn't have any chives I started looking around for a good substitute. I added in a few thin slices of leeks, some fresh basil, and some parsley. There really is a lot of room for exploration. The sauce was super simple, just some crushed tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

It is best, I think, to make a few things ahead of time or to really start making the dish an hour and a half before you're wanting to eat. It does take 45 mintes to cook and you'll need to wait for the shells to cool before you stuff them. But they are so worth the wait! I had so much fun making the shells I really wasn't paying attention to the time at all. If you're pressed for time I'm sure you could just put a glove on and stuff away.

This recipe is originally from Heidi Swanson, one of my favorite women right now. She keeps things healthy and simple, just the way I like it! She also has a ton of great recipes at http://www.101cookbooks.com/.

This recipe also makes a huge serving of food. I prepared just enough pasta for the night and made all of the sauce and ricotta filling so I could store the leftovers in the fridge.

Stuffed Shells
Recipe from 101 Cookbooks

Zest of one lemon

Sauce:

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
scant 3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed red tomatoes
1 14-ounce can crushed red tomatoes

Filling:

1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 bunch of chives, minced (or leeks, parsley, basil, any fresh herb/vegetable you desire)

25-30 jumbo pasta shells

Directions:

Oil a 13 x 9-inch or large enough for your amount of shells, and sprinkle the zest of 1/2 the lemon across it. Set aside. Get a big pot of water boiling, and preheat your oven to 350F and set oven rack in the middle.

To make the sauce, combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and garlic in a cold saucepan. Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute just 45 seconds or so until everything is fragrant - you don't want the garlic to brown. Now stir in the tomatoes and heat to a gentle simmer, just a minute or two. Remove from heat and carefully take a taste (you don't want to burn your tongue)...If the sauce needs more salt add it now. Let cool.

For filling: Place ricotta, egg, and salt in a medium bowl and mix until well incorporated. Then stir in mozzarella, remaining lemon zest, and your choice of herb/vegetable mixture. Set aside.

Cook shells according to package instructions in salted water, al dente. Don't overcook the shells or they will fall apart while you are trying to stuff them. Drain and let cool.

Spread 1/3 of sauce across the bottom of the prepared pan. Fill each shells with the ricotta mixture and place them single layer in your pan. Spread the remaining sauce over the shells and cover with foil and bake for thirty minutes, then uncover for final fifteen minutes or until shells are cooked through. Sprinkle some parsley or leftover herb mixture on top and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings.

The second night I made this with 1/4 of a diced eggplant, coated it with salt and olive oil and baked it for about ten minutes at 350 degrees and put them underneath the shells.