Brown Butter Stuffed Penne

Noodles, filling, and herbs can be altered according to personal preference.

Filling:
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons of basil (or herbs on hand)
zest of half a lemon

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.