Easy Cheesy – Stuffed Shells

If you like cheesy goodness, easy preparation, and delicious Italian food (and who in their right mind doesn’t), we have a bright idea for dinner this weekend!These stuffed shells are made with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboard.  If not, a quick and inexpensive trip to the market will have you making (and eating) this yummy dinner in no time.  Add a chopped salad, some great bread and…buon appetito!  Dinner is served 🙂

Stuffed Shells

This is truly easy and delicious.  What makes this dish so easy is that you don’t pre boil the pasta, it cooks in the sauce as you bake it.  What makes it so delicious is all that cheese!

For the pasta filling:
Shell shaped pasta
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cups mozzarella, grated (we like the whole milk cheese)
1 cup grated parmesan
1 clove garlic finely minced
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 handful of fresh minced herbs – basil, oregano, thyme, parsley*

For the sauce:
28 oz can Italian tomatoes (whole or crushed will work)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 handful of fresh minced herbs – basil, oregano,thyme, parsley*
2 tablespoons sugar

Topping:
1 – 2 cups mozzarella (if you like things really cheesy use 2 cups)
1/2 – 1 cup parmesan

(* If you don’t have fresh oregano, thyme and basil you can use dried.  Use about 1 teaspoon of each of the dried herbs.)

Mix together the cheeses with the egg  and add in the garlic, salt and pepper and herbs.  Stir to combine.  Using a small spoon fill each pasta shell with cheese mixture. Place filled shells in the bottom of a baking dish that has had about 2 tablespoons of olive oil poured into the bottom to keep the pasta from sticking.

To make the sauce put all the ingredients in a blender and mix well.  Pour the sauce over the shells.  The sauce should cover the shells.  If it doesn’t add some water to the blender to get all the last bit of sauce out and pour that over the shells as well.  If the sauce looks runny don’t worry.  The pasta cooks in the sauce as it bakes and it will absorb a lot of the liquid so you will end up with sauce that is the right consistency.

Lastly top the shells and sauce with the grated mozzarella and parmesan.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or longer if necessary until the cheese is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.  YUM!!!!!