Wow! It really has been a long time since I posted a recipe on here! I used to post 2-3 recipes a week and now it’s been almost a year! I have to admit that in the past four months I have only cooked a few meals since we have been out of our house. Miss Payton and I have been staying with my parents for over a week now as our house is in it’s finishing stages. I had a stack of recipes that I have been pinning on pinterest and have had a chance to cook a few while being up here but I wanted to whip up something on my own so I came up with these shells! Let me tell you they did not disappoint! Give them a try! This recipe has three layers, each of which is equally tasty!
Pesto Stuffed Shells:
Bechamel Sauce:
- 1 TB Butter
- 2 tsp Flour
- 1 1/2 cups Whole Milk
- 2 tsp cream cheese
- salt to taste
- In a small sauce pan melt the butter, once melted stir in the flour. This will be lumpy, and that’s okay. Just keep stirring for a minute or two to get a golden brown color.
- Pour in milk, once the milk has a soft boil add in the cream cheese and stir until melted.
- Let sauce boil slightly until thickened. Turn off until ready to use.
Marinara Sauce:
(This is not my usual recipe but you need a sauce that will not compete with the other flavors).
- 1/2 White Onion, diced
- 1 TB Olive Oil
- 1 clove of garlic, minced.
- 1 can Italian Style Stewed Tomatoes
- 1 can Tomato Paste
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- In a small saucepan saute onion in olive oil. Once the onion is translucent add in the garlic and cook for a minute or two. Add in tomatoes and seasonings. Cook for about 15-20 minutes.
Shell Filling:
- 1/2 container Pesto Sauce or 1/2 cup homemade
- 1/3 cup Romano Cheese, shredded.
- 1 16 oz. Container Ricotta Cheese
- 2 Cups Spinach, finely shredded.
- 1 Egg, beaten
- 1 Box Jumbo Shell Pasta, cooked according to package instructions.
- In a bowl combine all ingredients and mix well until incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into a large Ziploc bag and chill while the sauces cook.
To Assemble:
- Spread bechamel sauce evenly over the bottom of a baking dish.
- For the shells: Cut a corner off of the Ziploc bag. Take a shell, folding back one side and squeeze filling into it until it is full. Lay shells evenly onto bechamel sauce.
3. Once all of the shells are filled spoon the marinara sauce over the middle of the shells. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the shells and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until sauce is bubbling.
Enjoy! I served this dish alongside a small feta and balsamic salad.
YUM! I’m going to have to make that ASAP!
I’m definately going to have to try this recipe. Looking forward to more!
They were extremely tasty!!!!
Thank you Melissa