Ricotta Shells with Spicy Sundried Tomato Veg Sauce

Ricotta Shells
with Spicy Sundried Tom Sauce

Prep Time: 40 Min
Cook Time: 1 Hr 30 Min +

Yields: Approx 25 Shells

What You Need

• 30 Jumbo Shell Pasta Noodles
• Approx. 1 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
• Store-Bought Sundried Tomato Pesto
• GARNISH - Basil, Parsley, Grana Padano

SAUCE

• 3 Tbsp. EVOO
• ​1 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, crushed 
• 1 Yellow Onion, diced
• 2 stalks Celery, diced
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
• 1 Carrot, peeled & diced
• 1/2 C Sundried Tomatoes packed in Oil, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
• 1 C White Wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
• 796ml  Whole San Marzano Tomatoes
• Small Handful Fresh Basil
• 1/2 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
• Cracked Pepper

FILLING

• 4754g Full Fat Ricotta Cheese
• 1 Large, Free-Range Egg
• 2 cloves Garlic, crushed & finely minced
• 1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1 Tsp. Dried Basil
• 1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 Tsp. Himalayan Salt
• Cracked Pepper To Taste

Notes

• When I originally tested this recipe, I was being rather lazy & sliced my mozzarella thinly and placed the slices on top. Ideally, it would be best to shred the mozz as it melts better and comes apart better. I estimated about 1 cup mozz for the top, but just cover your shells with enough mozz to blanket them.
• I kept the filling rather simple because the sundried tomato sauce was intended to really be where the flavour came from. You could always add 1/2 c approximately of shredded grana padano and some lemon zest to enhance your ricotta filling.
• I'm currently using a table top oven so my 9 x 13 " pan doesn't fit. Ideally, that would probably be your best dish to assemble your shells as my 7 x 11" was a touch crowded.

Directions

• SAUCE - Begin heating the EVOO, pepperoncini, and garlic, in a large, deep pan set to about medium heat. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle together for about a minute. Add the onion, bell pep, carrot, celery, sundried toms, and a good pinch of both salt & pepper. Let the veggies cook about 12 - 15 minutes, stirring as needed. Make a well and drop in the tomato paste. Let it sizzle in the middle of the skillet for a minute or so before stirring everything together and continuing to cook another couple of minutes. Pour in the wine and let that cook off until mostly cooked off. Pour in the tomatoes, fill your can about half way with water to pull any tomatoes from the can and pour that in to your sauce. Break up the toms in the skillet and once the sauce comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer, season with the 1/2 tsp. salt, drop in the basil leaves, and cover for 25 minutes. Once the sauce is ready, carefully blend until smooth and return to the skillet on low. Taste and adjust your salt if needed. Keep covered.​

​

• FILLING - While your sauce simmers away, fold all of your filling ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate until assembly.
• While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of cold, generously salted water to a boil. Once boiled, add your shell pasta and cook to just about al dente. Strain and let cool enough to handle. DO NOT RINSE YOUR SHELLS! The starch helps the sauce stick to the noods.​

​

• ASSEMBLY - Preheat your oven to 375 F. Spray the inside of a 7 x 11" baking dish with cooking spray. Ladle some sauce in to the dish and spread it around to coat the bottom of the dish. Add your filling to a piping bag with the large, open tip, you'll likely do this in batches. Cup your shells in one hand and pipe the filling with your alternate hand. Don't overfill them. Assemble the stuffed shells in your baking dish and continue until completed. You'll get anywhere between 22 - 26 shells depending on how full you make them. Next, ladle a generous amount of sauce over the shells to coat them entirely. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Alternately, you could freeze it for a couple of months. Next, top the dish with your mozz and dollop sundried tomato pesto around the dish. Sprinkle some parsley & pepper flakes, cover, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue for 15 - 20 until cheese is melty and blistered a bit.
• Carefully remove the shells from the oven and set the dish on a wire cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Serve up your shells and garnish with loads of grana padano, fresh parsley, and fresh basil. ENJOY!
• Remaining shells can be refrigerated for 4ish days in an airtight container. 

HAPPY VEG