Giant Pasta Shells Stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta

This dish is inexpensive, easy to make and makes for a very colorful presentation. All you need is a salad and bread to complete the meal.

Ingredients

• 2 pkgs. frozen chopped spinach, thawed (or can use one pkg. chopped spinach + 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and browned))
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese ( can substitute 4% small curd cottage cheese)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 8 ounces (about 36) jumbo pasta shells, or cannelloni or manicotta shells (about 14)
• 3 cups of your favorite marinara or spaghetti

Directions

Squeeze thawed spinach dry.

In a large bowl, combine green onion, 1/2 cup Parmesan, mozzarella and ricotta or cottage cheese, egg, pepper, nutmeg and spinach, or spinach + sausage, if using.

Cook pasta according to pkg. directions until al dente. Drain and rinse pasta. Drain again.

Preheat oven to 375. Spread one cup sauce over bottom of a shallow 2-quart casserole.

Stuff the shells with the spinach mixture and arrange them on top of the sauce. Ladle the remaining sauce over the shells and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.

(At this point, the shells can be refrigerated, covered, up to 24 hours. TO SERVE LATER: Preheat the oven to 350. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until the shells are heated through and the sauce is bubbling- about 10 to 20 minutes more.)

TO SERVE NOW: Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbling.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: COOK NOW/SERVE LATER by Reader's Digest (revised)
Submitted By: Carolina
mkpb@bellsouth.net
Giant Pasta Shells Stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta