Ricotta And Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells Food

SPINACH AND RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions.
• Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until tender about 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
• Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the spinach mixture to a large bowl and add in ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Spread about 1/2 of the sauce in the bottom of a 8 x8 or 9 x 9 baking dish.
• Stuff shells with the spinach cheese mixture and place in the baking dish.
• Top with the remaining sauce and bake for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through.
• Serve immediately with basil and parmesan cheese, if desired.

RICOTTA AND SPINACH STUFFED PASTA SHELLS

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water, uncovered, 3 minutes; drain.
• Cool slightly.
• Preheat oven to moderate.
• Boil, steam or microwave spinach until just wilted; drain.
• Chop spinach finely, squeeze out excess liquid.
• Combine spinach in a large bowl with ricotta and cottage cheese; spoon spinach mixture into pasta shells.
• Combine sauce and stock in oiled shallow 2 litre (8 cup) ovenproof dish.
• Place pasta shells in dish; sprinkle with parmesan.
• Bake, covered, in moderate oven about 1 hour or until pasta is tender.

RICOTTA AND SPINACH-STUFFED PASTA SHELLS

Steps:

• Sauce--drain the tomatoes, reserving half of their juices.
• In a saucepan, combine the tomatoes, reserved juices, the carrot, and onion.
• Bring to a boil over med-high heat, decrease heat to med-low, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, and let cool slightly.
• Pass the mixture through a food mill or a medium-mesh sieve back into the pan.
• Stir in the oil, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, make the filling--bring a pot of water to a boil and add the spinach and 1/4 tsp salt.
• Cook just until tender, about 2 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the spinach to a colander to drain.
• Reserve the cooking water in the pot.
• Squeeze out excess moisture from the spinach, then finely chop.
• Add the ricotta to a bowl and stir in the egg until smooth.
• Add the spinach, 1/2 cup Parmesan, the nutmeg, 1/4 tsp salt and a few grindings of pepper and mix well.
• Add water to the reserved spinach water in the pot to total 5 quarts and bring to a rapid boil.
• Add 2 Tbsp salt and the pasta shells to the boiling water, stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, until not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions.
• Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again, and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375°.
• Smear the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with 2-3 Tbsp sauce.
• Using a teaspoon, stuff the shells with the filling.
• They should be generously filled but not so stuffed that they are wide open.
• Place the stuffed shells, side by side and open side up, in the prepared dish.
• Drizzle with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake until the sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes.
• Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

RICOTTA, SPINACH & CHICKEN STUFFED PASTA SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180F (160C) (I use my NuWave Oven for about 45 minutes).
• Par-cook the pasta in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
• Brush a shallow 8 cup ovenproof baking dish or ramekins, with oil. (or spray).
• Microwave the spinach until just wilted. Then drain and chop finely, squeezing out excess liquid.
• Combine spinach, ricotta and cottage cheese annd spoon or pipe into the pasta shells.
• Combine the pasta sauce and stock and pour into the prepared dish or ramekins. Place the shells on top and scatter pieces of skinless chicken around. Sprinkle grated parmesan over all.
• Bake covered for about 1 hour and scatter torn basil leaves on top to serve.

BAKED PASTA SHELLS STUFFED WITH SPINACH AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a very large saucepan, gently fry the garlic and onion in the oil for about 5-10 minutes until translucent. Add the tomato purée and refill the cans with water about three-quarters full, giving them a shake to mop up any tomato. This will give you about 4 1/2 cups water. Add it to the pan. Bring the sauce to the boil and then partially cover and simmer for about 25 minutes.
• Soak the fresh spinach in the sink to get rid of any mud, drain, and then cook in just the water that's still clinging to the leaves until it has wilted down and cooked through, then drain well and chop roughly (you can just go at it with scissors while it's sitting in the colander). If you're using frozen chopped spinach, make sure - once it's thawed - that you've pressed out every last bit or water; you can.
• Empty the ricotta into a bowl, add the eggs and then grate in about 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) of the Parmesan. Add the spinach when it is cool, squeezing out (again) any excess water with your hands, then stir everything together and season it well with the nutmeg and salt and pepper.
• Cook the pasta shells in a large pan of water, for about 5 minutes once they have come back to the boil, then drain and leave them to get cool enough for you to stuff them without burning your fingers. Tip the shells into a dish, of approximately 15 x 13 inches, so that they lie in a single layer, then fill each shell with a heaped teaspoon of the spinach and ricotta filling. Ladle the tomato sauce over the pasta, and grate over the remaining Parmesan.
• Bake for about 20 - 30 minutes, by which time the pasta will be tender and the light tomato sauce hot and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let stand for a while to cool down slightly before serving.