Stuffed shells! Who can resist them, and the nice thing is they can be filled with just about anything from vegetables to grains, meats, cheese, leftovers and fish. I like to make them a day ahead and love to play with fillings from the simple to the more complex. If you are in a hurry and want something so easy to put together, these are just the ticket; they are filed with spinach and cheese and are a perfect Lenten dish.
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Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells
INGREDIENTS
12 large shells
2 cups chopped cooked spinach (or frozen spinach, well drained)
1 cup well drained ricotta cheese
Salt to taste
Grinding black pepper
Dash ground nutmeg (optional)
1-1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Grinding black pepper
3 cups tomato sauce
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of water to the boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and the shells and par cook them for about 4 minutes; do not overcook them as they will continue to cook in the oven. Drain them and cool. Set aside.
In a bowl combine the spinach, ricotta cheese and 1 cup of the grated cheese; mix well. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg if using. Set aside.
In a casserole dish large enough to hold the shells in a single layer, ladle a thin layer of tomato sauce.
Use a spoon to fill the shells with the spinach mixture and line them up in the pan over the tomato sauce. Evenly spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the top of the shells. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheese. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30-35 minutes or until hot and the shells are completely tender. Serve hot. Serves 4