Рецепт Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells
I think this was my first time having stuffed shells. I know my mom didn’t ever make them and I am quite sure I never would have chosen them off a restaurant menu. I sometimes see them peeking through the foggy grocery store frozen aisle doors reminding me they exist.
I am not quite sure what influenced me to buy the pasta shells; I usually am very loyal to only whole wheat pastas and I haven’t seen a wheat variety of these shells. Anyway, when I got home that very afternoon and got to making dinner, I opened the box of these so called “jumbo shells” and screamed “JUMBO MY ASS!”
Seriously. The shells seemed smaller than a radish. They seemed as if they’d be perfect for Velveeta Shells n Cheese (which I’ve still never eaten). How on earth was I supposed to stuff these shells with deliciousness?
And while the non-jumbo pasta shells boiled, I went through a semi-tirade:
-wouldn’t it all taste the same if I just mixed any sort of pasta up with spinach and cheese and baked it?
-why must I laboriously stuff these stupid shells?
-am I going to have to eat like 12 shells to feel full?
It turns out the shells puffed up respectably while boiling. And stuffing them didn’t take that long. And they sure do make for a neat presentation, which breaks the cycle of uuuugh more pasta with red sauce. They were tasty and reheated well so I’m sure I’ll make them again.
Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells (adapted from Eating Well)
Ingredients
- 24 jumbo pasta shells, (8 ounces)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 pounds fresh spinach, trimmed and washed
- 2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
- 3 cups prepared marinara sauce, preferably low-sodium
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook shells in a large pot of boiling water, stirring often, until just tender, about 15 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add spinach in batches to the pan and toss with tongs until wilted. Let cool.
Combine ricotta,1/4 cup Parmesan and nutmeg in a bowl; mix well. Add the reserved spinach and season with salt and pepper. Stir in egg white.
Stuff each of the reserved shells with a generous 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture.
Spread 1 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer. Top with the remaining 2 cups of the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake until the top is golden and the shells are heated through, about 30 minutes. (If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.) Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.