I decided to put a twist on stuffed shells. My husband, Tom, isn't crazy about the regular cheese-filled variety.
"Too cheesy" he says.
But he does love meatballs and I always have several dozen in the freezer so I thought I'd incorporate them into this recipe.
It retains the standard ricotta/egg/cheese filling but I've also added fresh sauteed spinach and fresh garden herbs.
There's a few steps involved but it's quite simple to make and well worth your trouble. Check it out~it was delicious!
16-20 jumbo shells, prepared according to directions on box-- drained and left standing in a small amount of cold water to prevent the shells from sticking together
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
10 oz. fresh baby spinach
16-20 meatballs
2 cups Ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 Tablespoons fresh oregano & fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
32 oz. spaghetti sauce, homemade or store bought
6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Saute onion & garlic over medium heat in oil/butter, stirring often, until semi-tender. Add fresh spinach and reduce heat to low. Stir until tender. set aside.
Pour 1 cup of red sauce into bottom of glass 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Set aside.
Mix Ricotta, egg, herbs, salt and parmesan until smooth. Add spinach/onion mixture and combine well.
Stuff a shell with a heaping tablespoon of cheese mixture and stuff in a meatball.
Place in prepared pan.
Cover with sauce.
You may not use the entire 32 oz., that will depend on how "saucy" you like your pasta. I had about a cup leftover.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving for a neater appearance.
Served with a tossed green salad and a loaf of fresh crusty bread this meal makes an ideal cozy-night dinner. Enjoy~!
