Holiday hosting is a fun way to welcome loved ones. Opportunities to host abound between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, and savvy hosts know how useful an expansive culinary repertoire can be during a time of year when it’s common to enjoy home cooked meals with loved ones.
Simple but flavorful meals are a holiday host’s best friend. Such meals, which include the following recipe for “Stuffed Shells With Spinach and Ricotta” from Lines+Angles, give hosts more time to mingle but still ensure a delicious dish makes its way to the table come dinnertime.
STUFFED SHELLS WITH SPINACH AND RICOTTA Makes 6 to 8 servings Salt, to taste 32 jumbo pasta shells 10 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed 2 cups ricotta, softened 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (divided), plus extra to serve 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced 2 eggs, lightly beaten Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 3 3⁄4 cups marinara or spaghetti sauce 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook per package directions until al dente. Rinse pasta in cold water to stop cooking process and drain well.
2. Squeeze spinach dry. Transfer spinach to large bowl. Add ricotta, 1⁄2 cup Parmesan, garlic, and beaten eggs to bowl. Season mixture with salt and pepper, and mix to blend.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F. 4. Spoon 1⁄2 cup marinara sauce evenly over bottom of 9- x 13- x 2-inch baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with spinach mixture. Place shells, filling side up, in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1⁄2 cup Parmesan. Cover loosely with foil and bake until heated through and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Spoon remaining sauce over shells. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve.
