Stuffed Jumbo Shells Pasta
By: Giangi Townsend
Published: Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 5:39am

Ingredients




Ravioli stuffing
½ cup Whole milk ricotta (more if you wish)
½ to ¾ cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 box of Barilla jumbo shell pasta
Béchamel sauce
Tomatoes sauce
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Butter

Preparation

1 Add the ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese to the ravioli stuffing and mix well.  Season with salt and pepper if needed. 2 Preheat oven at 375°. Cook the pasta as per box directions. Drain and run cold water over the pasta. 3 Use a large baking dish and butter the bottom of it.  Place over the butter a thin layer of the tomatoes sauce.  Fill the shell pasta with the ravioli filling and place in the baking dish, open filling side facing up. 4 Once the whole baking is filled, add over it some of the béchamel cream, tomatoes sauce and mozzarella cheese 5 Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and slight golden color. 6 Let it rest for a couple of minutes before serving.

About

I really enjoy cooking every night, however and I am faced, as every one is, with the eternal question from my family: “What is for dinner tonight?” . Yesterday  I was the one that asked that question to my little guy with the hope that  he would say: steak with pasta and broccolis, as it is one of his favorite meal.  Ohhhh Noooo!!! That would have been too easy!!! With a very serious look and a few minutes of consideration, he looks at me straight into the eyes and says: Stuffed pasta with tomatoes sauce. I just stared back at him with no reply.  His request was specific, and after all I am the one that asked. 
I just so happened that I had in my pantry jumbo shell pasta from Barilla, and in the freezer a jar of ravioli filling that I made for us a week ago. The only thing remaining was a simple béchamel and tomatoes sauce. 
Dinner was great, but most of all my son loved the fact that he had a say on what was for dinner and ate as much as I did.  He is so looking forward to lunch today as he made sure we had some left over and I can give them to him on his lunch box.
Bon Appetit!!