Stuffed Pasta Shells - Conchiglioni ripieni al forno

Stuffed Pasta Shells with Ricotta.....a classic for Sunday menu and holidays.  

Filled patiently one by one, these "conchiglioni" will be fought over to the last one and every effort will be rewarded once all guests are taken by the throat!

 1 Package of Jumbo Shells, 12 oz.

                                

For the filling:

·         (8 oz.) ricotta cheese, drained

·         1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

·         1-2 eggs

·         A sprig of parsley, finely minced

·         Salt and pepper

·         8 oz. fresh mozzarella, shredded

Prepare a simple sauce (sugo semplice o Marinara)

Boil the shells in salted water until three-quarters cooked.

While the shells are cooking, mix the ricotta, cheese, egg, parsley, salt and pepper and finally the shredded mozzarella.

When the shells are done, drain them and lay them out to cool. When the shells are cool enough to handle, fill them with the ricotta and mozzarella mixture.   

Put a thin layer of sauce at the bottom of a baking dish.  Place the stuffed shells on top, then cover the shells with more sauce. Top the shells with a good amount of grated cheese. 

Bake in a hot (350F) oven for 35-45 minutes, until the shells are cooked through.

Note: The stuffed shells can be prepared in advance and then baked when necessary.