Pasta Shells With Ricotta-Spinach Filling And Fresh Basil

Recipe Ingredients

20		Jumbo pasta shells
		Salt - to taste
1 cup	40g / 1.4oz	Spinach leaves
1/2 cup	73g / 2.6oz	Grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon	2.5ml	Minced garlic
1		Egg
		Dried red pepper flakes - to taste
1 lb	454g / 16oz	Ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon	15ml	Olive oil
2 cups	474ml	Pasta sauce such as marinara mushroom or
		Meat sauce
1 1/2 cups	219g / 7.7oz	Shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup	36g / 1.3oz	Grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup	10g / 0.4oz	Thinly-sliced basil leaves

Recipe Instructions

Cook pasta shells in plenty of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, 12 to 15 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain.

Chop spinach in food processor. Transfer to bowl and stir in Romano cheese, garlic, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Add ricotta and mix well.

Gently toss pasta shells in oil. Put 2 slightly rounded tablespoons of cheese-spinach mixture in each of 16 pasta shells. Close shells, slightly overlapping 1 side of each.

Spread 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce evenly in bottom of 13- by 9-inch shallow baking dish. Arrange shells, rounded-side down, in single layer over sauce. Spoon remaining 1/2 cup sauce evenly over shells. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over sauce. Cover with foil. (If made ahead, bring to room temperature before baking.)

Bake covered at 350 degrees until sizzling, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve hot.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Each serving: 741 calories; 1,579 mg sodium; 147 mg cholesterol; 36 grams fat; 62 grams carbohydrates; 41 grams protein; 0.33 gram fiber.

Source:
The Los Angeles Times, 04-26-2000

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