|
Instructions |
|
|
In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella,
pesto and the egg (the egg keeps the filling from
getting too runny when cooked). Roughly chop the
spinach and stir it into the cheese mixture.
Refrigerate the filling until you are ready to use
it.
|
|
|
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the
box (boil for 12 min.). I added 1 Tbsp of cooking
oil to the boiling water to keep the shells from
sticking to each and the pot. You will still need
to gently stir a few times during cooking. Be
careful not to over cook the pasta or else it will
rip easily and be too mushy after cooking with the
filling and sauce. Drain the pasta and rinse with
cool water to stop the cooking process. Let the
pasta drain.
|
|
|
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. The shells roll
up tight (see photo below) when they are cooked so
use the fingers on one hand to hold them open as
you spoon about 3 Tbsp of pesto cheese mix into
the center of each. There should be enough pesto
cheese mix to fill the shell so that it stays open
just slightly (the edges should be about 1/2 inch
apart). Fill as many shells as you can with the
cheese mix.
|
|
|
Spread one cup of pasta sauce in the bottom of a
glass baking dish. I used a 9.5x14 inch dish
because that was all that I had available at the
time but it was too big for 22 shells. You want to
pack them in tightly in a single layer. If you
space them too far apart, they will dry out during
the cooking process. Place all of the shells in
the baking dish as close together as possible and
pour the remaining 2 cups of sauce over top. Bake
for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until the
sauce is bubbling up around the edges.
|
|
|
Originally Submitted
1/10/2013
|