Jumbo shells with spinach cheese (Printable Version)

Jumbo shells stuffed with creamy cheeses and spinach, baked until bubbly in rich marinara sauce.

# Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 20 jumbo pasta shells (conchiglioni), cooked al dente

→ Filling

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 170 grams fresh spinach
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 425 grams ricotta cheese (whole or skim milk)
07 - 67 grams low-moisture mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
08 - 67 grams parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
09 - 67 grams toasted salted pine nuts, divided
10 - Zest of 1 lemon
11 - Juice of ½ lemon
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Sauce and Garnish

13 - 475 milliliters marinara sauce (recommended Rao’s or Mezzetta brand)
14 - Fresh basil, finely chopped, for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to package instructions until slightly under al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
02 - Heat olive oil in a medium cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and fresh spinach with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until spinach is wilted, chopping or smashing the spinach to evaporate excess moisture.
03 - In a large bowl, mix the sautéed spinach and garlic with egg, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, half of the pine nuts (about 33 grams), lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until fully combined.
04 - Pour the marinara sauce into the cast iron skillet or a baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell with approximately 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling mixture and arrange them in the sauce.
05 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the sauce bubbles and the pasta is tender.
06 - Remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes to allow the cheese to brown slightly.
07 - Remove from oven and garnish with remaining parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, and freshly chopped basil before serving.

# Notes:

01 - To ensure shells do not break during stuffing, cook pasta slightly under al dente. Draining pasta well prevents watery filling.

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