Stuffed Shells are so decadent. I always felt guilty ordering them and so I hardly ever did. I have made many variations, stuffing them with veggies and nut mixtures, olives and nuts and so on. But I was craving some good old fashioned ricotta stuffed shells. The cool temperatures here in Poona mean that the time is just right.
Ricotta has always been scarce in these parts. Now we do get it in some specialty stores and not too expensive either. But I have a better option – making fresh ricotta at home! It’s not very hard to make, and once you do a 2 liter batch, it lasts for a long time. Another advantage is that we know it is vegetarian since no rennet is used while making it.
Tomatoes turned friendly by being 10 rupees a kilo so a tomato based sauce was called for. I was craving a heavy pasta and the result was these stuffed shells with a tomato basil sauce. Of course I had to be out of shells! I had some left over from last year – 12 shells! – and I went ahead with them anyway. I held myself back from adding spinach to the stuffing, seasoned it simply with salt, pepper and nutmeg. I even kept the mushrooms out this time.
The Tomato basil sauce turned out just right and plenty sweet, with stewed sweet tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil. A dash of grated mozzarella, half an hour in the oven, and here’s a pasta dish that will make you sing.
If you have never tried making stuffed shells before, this is the time, and it’s just right.
Notes – Conventional recipes for lasagna or ricotta stuffing often add an egg as a binder or to increase creaminess or texture. I didn’t add any and they turned out just fine.
The Ricotta Stuffed Shells recipe is as follows.
Ricotta Stuffed Shells – Eggless Recipe
Ricotta Stuffed Shells – Eggless Vegetarian Recipe
Ingredients
- 8-10 stewed tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 10-12 torn basil leaves
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp+ sugar
- 2 cups ricotta
- salt and pepper
- dash of nutmeg
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
- fresh basil leaves
- Pasta shells - 24
For the sauce
For the stuffing
For topping
Method
- Use stewed tomatoes from a can or if you're using fresh, pressure cook them and peel them. Squish and puree.
- Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and let it become light pink on low heat.
- Add the tomato puree, salt, pepper, sugar.
- Bring to a boil and simmer until it thickly coats the back of a spoon.
- Add in the basil leaves.
- Use immediately or store for up to a week in the fridge/ freeze.
- Boil shells according to packet instructions until al dente. Wash in cold water and cool completely.
- Mix the ricotta with the seasonings.
- Generously stuff the shells with the ricotta cheese mixture.
- Ladle some sauce in a baking dish.
- Place the shells on the dish.
- Cover with plenty of sauce.
- Grate cheese on top.
- Place in 180-200 C or 350F-375F oven until it bubbles and browns.
- Enjoy!
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Hope you try this simple recipe at home. Sure Ricotta Stuffed Shells are high calorie, but not bad once in a blue moon.
