Stuffed Pasta Shells

Submitted by Alison J.

"I came up with these to use up some leftover ingredients in my fridge, and they turned out so well that my husband felt the need to eat NINE of them in one sitting!! This could be served as an appetizer, or as a main dish."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 15 stuffed shells
• Serves: 3-4

ingredients

• 15 jumbo pasta shells
• 1⁄2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 mild Italian sausage
• 3⁄4 cup light ricotta cheese
• 1 cup light mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese or 1/4 cup romano cheese, grated
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 1⁄2 cups tomato sauce

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare shells according to package directions. Remember to cook a couple of extra shells in case of breakage.
3. Remove sausage from casings and brown in a skillet along with onion and garlic. Use your spoon or spatula to break the sausage meat up into small pieces as it cooks. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
4. Combine ricotta, parmesan, half the mozzarella, parsley, and pepper. Stir the cooled sausage mixture into the cheese mixture.
5. Pour a thin layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9" square casserole dish. Spoon the filling evenly into the cooked, drained shells and arrange the stuffed shells in the dish. Cover with the remaining sauce, and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
6. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes, then remove cover and continue cooking for another 10 minutes until cheese bubbles.

Reviews

[Cookworm]

This is an excellent dish. I loved that the shells were easy to work with and that the flavors in this are kept simple. The parsley really shines through nicely. I used a homemade tomato sauce and doubled the recipe. While it was baking I was wishing it was done the smell was so delicious.