Classic Ricotta Stuffed Shells

These jumbo stuffed shells are a classic Italian comfort food with a creamy, cheesy spinach filling and a full bodied tomato sauce. Serve them with a big, old Caesar salad or with Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore Drumsticks. (See the link at the end of this post)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 tsps minced garlic

2 tsps dry oregano

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 3/4 cups passata (strained tomatoes)

pinch of sugar

26 jumbo pasta shells

1/2 tbsp olive oil

200g (6 cups) packed fresh spinach

1 cup ricotta

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella

2 tsps minced garlic

handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/4 cup parmesan or romano cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Start with the sauce. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion cooking 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and oregano for 30 seconds then pour in the diced tomatoes and passata along with the balsamic, salt, pepper, tomato paste and sugar. Simmer 15-20 minutes.

For the filling heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot. Add the spinach and stir just to wilt, 1-2 minutes. Drain off the hot water and let the spinach cool. When cool enough to handle squeeze the liquid out by wringing it in a clean dishtowel then return to the pot or a large bowl. Add ricotta, parmesan, garlic, basil, salt and pepper to spinach.

Cook the pasta shells to al dente, maybe 5 minutes less cooking time than actually required on package. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Pour the sauce into a 13 X 9" baking dish and preheat the oven to 350°F. Fill each shell with about 2 tsps of filling. Do not overfill or the shells may split, but once you've filled each shell you may go back and add a little more here and there.

Sit the stuffed shells in the sauce and top with shredded mozzarella and more parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Serves 6

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore Drumsticks:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2023/11/slow-cooker-chicken-cacciatore.html

Adapted from: thelastfoodblog.com

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