RICOTTA-STUFFED SHELLS WITH PESTO
Classic stuffed and baked Italian-American jumbo shells are an easy sell. This summery version dispenses with the tomato sauce: The shells are instead drizzled lightly with olive oil, dusted with grated pecorino and bread crumbs, baked briefly until nicely browned, then napped with a bright green garlicky pesto sauce. The effect is more akin to crispy ravioli than a juicy, long-baked casserole. Serve 2 or 3 shells as a first course, 5 to 6 for a main.
Provided by David Tanis
Categories casseroles, pastas, main course
Time 1h30m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Put a large pot of well-salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta shells, put the lid on the pot to help water return to a boil, then remove lid, stir pasta and continue cooking, uncovered until al dente, usually abut 10 minutes. (It's better to err on the undercooked side than risk flabby pasta, so check early and often.)
- Remove pasta from pot and cool in a large bowl of water. Drain well and spread cooked shells on a baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel.
- Meanwhile, make the ricotta filling: In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, scallions, parsley, thyme, lemon zest and juice, and crushed red pepper to taste. Add grated Parmesan and pecorino. Season well with salt and pepper and mix well to incorporate ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a large shallow baking dish (use 2 dishes if necessary). Using a spoon or pastry bag, put about 1 tablespoon ricotta mixture into each pasta shell. Arrange the filled shells in one layer in the baking dish, packed closely together. Drizzle surface lightly with olive oil, or use a small brush to lightly paint each shell.
- Sprinkle top with 1/4 cup pecorino and bread crumbs and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until heated through, crisp and golden brown.
- To make the pesto, pulse basil, parsley, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor until roughly chopped. Add oil slowly and blend well. Add a little pepper, taste and adjust seasoning and transfer to a serving bowl.
- To serve, drizzle shells with a little pesto sauce and pass the rest at the table.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 706, UnsaturatedFat 30 grams, Carbohydrate 53 grams, Fat 45 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 23 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 524 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams
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Zamantuli
[email protected]This dish was a hit! The shells were cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling was delicious. The pesto sauce was also very good. I would definitely make this again.
Md Salman
[email protected]This dish was delicious! The shells were cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling was creamy and flavorful. The pesto sauce was also very good. I would definitely make this again.
XAFIN KHAN
[email protected]I wasn't sure how this dish would turn out, but I was pleasantly surprised. The shells were cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling was creamy and flavorful. The pesto sauce was also very good. I would definitely make this again.
Selome Somi
[email protected]This dish was a bit more work than I expected, but it was worth it. The shells were cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling was creamy and flavorful. The pesto sauce was also very good. I would definitely make this again for a special occasion.
Francisco Luis Luis inosse
[email protected]I've made this dish a few times now and it's always a crowd-pleaser. The shells are cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling is delicious. The pesto sauce is also very flavorful. I highly recommend this recipe.
Fari Rukaya
[email protected]This dish was a hit at my party! The shells were cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling was creamy and flavorful. The pesto sauce was also very good. I would definitely make this again.
Rajab ali jatoi
[email protected]I made this dish for my family and they loved it! The shells were cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling was delicious. The pesto sauce was also very good. I would definitely make this again.
Maca Guiwasa
[email protected]This dish was delicious! The shells were cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling was creamy and flavorful. The pesto sauce was also very good. I would definitely make this again.
Md Sakif
[email protected]I wasn't sure how this dish would turn out, but I was pleasantly surprised. The shells were cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling was creamy and flavorful. The pesto sauce was also very good. I would definitely make this again.
Hayden vanZee
[email protected]This dish was a bit more work than I expected, but it was worth it. The shells were cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling was delicious. The pesto sauce was also very flavorful. I would definitely make this again for a special occasion.
Sandhu Sahib
[email protected]I've made this recipe a few times now and it's always a crowd-pleaser. The shells are always cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling is creamy and flavorful. The pesto sauce is the perfect finishing touch. I highly recommend this recipe.
jumielyn sabares
[email protected]I was pleasantly surprised by how easy this recipe was to make. I'm not a very experienced cook, but I was able to follow the instructions easily and the dish turned out great. The shells were cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling was delicious. I
Muhammad Haziq
[email protected]This dish was easy to make and very tasty. I used a jarred pesto sauce and it worked out well. The shells were cooked perfectly and the ricotta filling was creamy and flavorful. I would definitely make this again.
Hector Norberto
[email protected]I made this recipe last night and it was delicious! I used a store-bought pesto sauce to save time, and it still turned out great. The shells were stuffed with a creamy ricotta filling and topped with a generous amount of pesto. I served it with a si
Sweta Karn
[email protected]These ricotta stuffed shells were a hit with my family! The pesto sauce was flavorful and creamy, and the shells were cooked perfectly. I will definitely be making this dish again.