Ever feel like eating something your grandmother might make you when your needing a little piece of home? Well this classic Italian dish is just that. Jumbo pasta shells are filled with 4 kinds of cheese then topped with marinara sauce and baked until ooey and gooey creating the best Italian comfort food in one dish! I keep it simple with just the four cheeses, but spinach and crumbled Italian sausage would be a nice addition. What ever you are in the mood for this will definitely put a smile on your face!
Simple Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Jumbo pasta shells are filled with four kinds of cheese then topped with marinara sauce and baked until the cheeses are ooey and gooey creating the best Italian comfort food in one dish.
Ingredients
- 1/2 box Jumbo Pasta Shells
- 1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
- 1 1/3 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk or low-fat) (brought to room temperature)
- 1 cup (8 oz) mascarpone cheese (brought to room temperature)
- 1 cup Parmesan-Reggiano Cheese, grated
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, grated
- 4 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cook pasta shells in boiling salted water for 9 min. Drain and cool on a foil lined baking sheet.
3. In a large bowl, mix ricotta, mascarpone, parsley, half of the parmesan cheese, half the mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper
4. Spray a 9x13 glass dish with non-stick spray. Pour half the jar of sauce in the bottom of the dish. Spread sauce so its even on the bottom.
5. Fill shells with cheese mixture and place in the dish seam side up.
6. Cover shells with remaining sauce, and the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
8. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
If you want to add meat, crumbled Italian sausage would be delicious. Cook sausage first and then add it to the top of the filled shells. Then top with marinara sauce and extra cheese. Bake as directed.
