Week 29: Recipe #2--Pesto-Stuffed Shells

This recipe is from Budget Bytes (see link below).  I love pesto, and these jumbo shells, much like the "cupcake" idea, are great for portion control.  These were easy to make (although with cooking time took a bit longer than I normally like a meal to take), and they were delicious.  I left off the chopped spinach, but other than that I pretty much stuck to the recipe.  I served these with green beans and applesauce.  Makes 7 servings.

Photo from Budget Bytes

You'll Need:

• 1 box (12 oz.) jumbo shell pasta
• 15 oz. part skim ricotta
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 c. pesto
• 1 large egg
• 2 c. fresh spinach (optional)
• 1 Tblsp. cooking oil
• 3 c. (1 jar) pasta sauce

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, pesto, and egg.  Roughly chop the spinach (if using) and stir it into the cheese mixture.  Refrigerate filling until you are ready to use it.
2. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box (boil for about 12 min.).  Add oil to the boiling water to prevent shells from sticking.  Be careful not to overcook the pasta or else it will rip easily and be too mushy after cooking with the filling and sauce.  Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.  
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of cheese mixture into the center of each shell.  There should be enough mixture to fill the shell so that it stays open just slightly (the edges should be about 1/2 inch apart).  Fill as many shells as you can with the cheese mixture.
4. Spread one cup of pasta sauce into the bottom of a rectangular glass baking dish (smaller than 9 x 13).  You want to pack them tightly in a single layer.  If you space them too far apart, they will dry out during the cooking process.  Place all of the shells in the baking dish as close together as possible and pour the remaining 2 cups of sauce over the top.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling up around the edges.

Recipe and link:  http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2010/03/pesto-stuffed-shells-851-recipe-142.html