Spinach Ricotta Shells

I've made some version of this meal for about 30 years. I originally got the idea from an American Heart Association recipe for lasagna during the low fat years. Obviously I abandoned the low fat thing somewhere along the way. It comes together easily. You can make parts of it in advance. You can use grocery store red sauce or make your own; it is adaptable to your situation and time constraints. Craig, of course, loves it. Anything with pasta is a hit. It is vegetarian, but not vegan.

Spinach Ricotta Shells

12 to 14 Large Pasta Shells (usually I only need 12 or 13, but sometimes one or 2 break while cooking so an extra couple are a good idea)

Large Jar of Marinara Pasta Sauce or use your own favorite recipe (you’ll need about 3 cups) — crushed or chopped canned tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, onion/shallot, red pepper flakes, salt, sugar/agave (if needed) is a quick one you might try. You want a marinara, I think a meat sauce would be too heavy and overpower the delicate flavor of the shell stuffing.

1 10 ounce frozen chopped spinach, defrosted (I've used fresh, you just have to cook, squeeze and chop it up)

1 cup low fat ricotta cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4  t pepper

1/8 t nutmeg

1 t salt

1 T lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  

Oil an 8 x 8 inch baking dish and spread a little sauce on the bottom, sprinkle 1/2 the lemon zest on top. 

Cook shells according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

Squeeze moisture out of spinach.  In a bowl combine the spinach, ricotta, 1/2 the lemon zest, parmesan, pepper, salt and nutmeg.  

Take large spoon, scoop up a spoonful and stuff into a shell.  Roll the shell over the stuffing and place in the baking dish.  Fill baking dish with one layer of stuffed shells (about 12 stuffed shells). Pour sauce over the shells and bake 25 to 30 minutes.  

Serves about 4, although we have been know to eat the whole batch in one sitting. Probably depends on if you serve anything else with the shells.