Stuffed Shells

Here is a recipe my kids LOVE!  I avoided  stuffed pasta for a long time because I thought it was too complicated, but when I finally tried it, I realized it is really not as  hard as I thought.  It is a bit time consuming, so this isn’t a quick weeknight meal, but it is a great one if you have a little extra time.  This is also a great dish to make in bulk and freeze for meals later. Also, if you are avoiding cheese you can substitute tofu for the ricotta and leave out the mozzarella cheese.  But since I am a fan of cheese (everything in moderation friends 🙂 ), we are going for it!

This yummy meal starts with a really simple sauce, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and basil.  Simply delicious!

Add the Basil last because over cooking can dull the flavor of basil.

Cook 25-30 large pasta shells.  Undercook (al dente +1)  them so they are still fairly stiff to allow you to fill them easily.

I have shredded a whole zucchini and added it to the stuffing mixture of ricotta cheese (you can use soft or crumbled firm tofu), mozzarella and egg.  This boosts the nutritional value and adds texture to this dish.  You can also add some cooked spinach in place of the Zucchini.  Spinach stuffed shells are divine, but I get too many complaints about spinach, so I limit my spinach use for my own emotional well-being.  Don’t forget the lemon, it really makes this filling really, really  yummy.

I have a small helper to help me fill the shells :). Add about 1 cup of sauce to the bottom of oiled baking dish.  Then,  I use a pastry filler/piping bag (whatever that thing is called) to fill  each shell with about 1-2Tbsp of cheese mixture.  If you don’t have a piping bag thingy, you can just use a spoon.

Gently Lay them open side up in the baking dish and cover with remaining sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 350degrees for 20-30minutes until bubbly.

Serve with a side salad or roasted cauliflower or broccoli and enjoy!