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Comfort food at its finest, these filled shells are a saucy, cheesy delight! Their creamy, savory filling is made up of fresh spinach, lemon zest, and ricotta cheese, and they are baked to perfection. Comfort food at its finest, these filled shells are a spicy, cheesy delight. In this dish, the chewy pasta pairs beautifully with the creamy ricotta filling, and marinara adds the appropriate tangy touch to both.
For fettuccine, you would cut the logs every 1/4 of an inch, and then unravel the noodles and sprinkle with flour. A close-up of a single piece of fresh sea shell pasta that was cooked at home. Image courtesy of aga7ta/iStock/Getty Images .
Roll the Dough Again
Alternatively, you may add your favorite store-bought sauce to make it even more convenient. I did modify the recipe by adding a few additional spices, but I do this with most dishes that I find on AR to make them more to our liking. Natasha’s Kitchen is my personal blog, and I am the author of the book Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook . My husband and I operate this site together, and we only share the recipes that have been tried and proven in our own homes with you. We like to serve this as a vegetarian main meal with Garlic Bread and a simple side salad or vegetables on the side.
To make fusilli, we first need to slice our sheet of pasta into long, thin strips, about an inch wide. We then need to roll each strip up so you have a thicker, rope-like texture. Once you’re happy, transfer the dough to a floured workspace and spend the next 10 mins vigorously kneading it into shape. You want a springy ball of dough by the end of the kneading process. Beat the eggs with a fork, then slowly fold the flour into the eggs with your hands, until you have a texture that’s slightly elastic.
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This also a great way to get kids involved by letting them play with food. Most pasta machines come with an adapter that cuts the dough. You may wish to cut your dough in half to make it easier to handle. If you don't have a pasta machine a rolling pin will work just fine . Just be sure you have plenty of space and a sturdy and long rolling pin.
However, you can substitute 00 or semolina flour for it like-for-like . You can use heavy cream instead of half-and-half for an even creamier dish. If you want even creamier pasta, use heavy cream instead of half and half.
Preparation
Add small shells to your soup or casserole immediately to keep them from sticking together as they cool. Toss shells that will be stuffed with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to add flavor and keep them from sticking together while they wait to be stuffed. Add the pasta shells slowly, being careful not to get splashed with boiling water. Stir the shells as you add them to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot or to each other. Measure flour, salt, and olive oil into a large mixing bowl.
Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, 25 to 35 minutes. A protein-rich flour known as “00 flour” is used to make pasta that is smoother and chewier. A slightly rougher pasta that better adheres to the sauce is made with semolina flour. Plain or all-purpose flour is somewhere in between.
Step 12: Gutter Shape.
Fill the bottom of a baking dish halfway with marinara sauce, then arrange the shells on top of the sauce. Keep in mind that the shells will continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes after they’ve been placed in the oven. I like full milk ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, but if you’re wanting to save a few calories, you may use half skim. Instead of using pre-shredded cheese, you may grate your own from scratch. In my experience, pre-grated cheeses purchased at the shop are often covered with anti-caking chemicals and preservatives, and so do not melt as easily. Make the preparations for this meal up to 8 hours before you intend to bake it.
Friendship Dairies cottage cheese provided the sponsorship for this content. The marinara sauce Rao’s Marinara is our absolute favorite store-bought marinara sauce. This recipe keeps nicely in the freezer! After you’ve stacked the shells in the baking dish, wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in the freezer.
Whenever I finish a serving, I invariably find myself back in the kitchen, unable to resist the temptation of a second helping. Place the shells in an aluminum baking dish and place them in the freezer for approximately 2 hours. The shells should be placed in a big freezer zip-lock bag or an airtight freezer container with a cover once they have been frozen.
It makes relatively smooth pasta with a light chewiness. You can always use a countertop style pasta roller in place of an expensive countertop stand mixer if you still want authentic handmade pasta at home without the hassle. There are many reasonably priced options on the market, but they are not all the same.
Repeat this process, narrowing the roller settings as you go, until the dough is the desired thickness. The dough should be smooth, shiny, a little moist, and have no cracks or blemishes. The dough is ready to be shaped when you can set the dough on a clean countertop without it sticking. An other delicious recipe is my FRESH EGG SPINACH PASTA. Add a sprinkling of oregano to the top and bake until the mixture is hot and bubbling.
3 filled shells have 305 calories, 13 grams of fat , 61 milligrams of cholesterol, 762 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates , and 16 grams of protein. Is it possible for you to tell us about your experience making these simple filled shells? Post a photo on Instagram with the hashtags @themodernproper and themodernpropers so that we may join you in celebrating your dinner victory. This sponsored post was written by TMP on behalf ofFred Meyer in collaboration withKroger, and it is available here. All of the thoughts and text on this page are our own. Thank you for your continued support of the companies we like.
