¾ 12oz box jumbo pasta shells (or about 24 shells)
12oz ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 bag baby spinach leaves
2 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1 jar of your favorite red pasta sauce
6 basil leaves
1 Tbls oregano
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup red wine
salt n pepper
How to make it
In a medium pot combine red sauce and diced tomatoes, bring to medium heat, stirring frequently, add 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 2 chopped basil leaves and ¼ cup of red wine, continue stirring frequently, reduce heat to simmer.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add pinch of salt and the pasta shells, and cook until al dente approx 8-10minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the shells from sticking. Remove and rinse with cool water. Set aside for later.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, ½ cup parmesan cheese, and 1½ cups of the mozzarella cheese, eggs, garlic, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 4 chopped basil leaves, oregano, black pepper, and mix to combine thoroughly (If you prefer, you can use less cheese, I love cheese!)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease casserole dish with olive oil.
Now you are ready to stuff the shells.
I use fresh baby spinach leaves instead of cooked package frozen spinach. It takes a little bit longer to stuff the shells, but I like a layer of fresh spinach in each shell. First, rinse spinach leaves with water and lightly salt, then place three or four leaves in a shell and spoon in about 2-3 tablespoons of the cheese filling. Repeat. Place the filled shells in the prepared casserole dish.
Pour the red sauce over the filled shells and top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Goes great with Italian garlic bread. Enjoy!
