- 1 box (12 oz.) jumbo pasta shells
- 3 c. ricotta cheese
- 2-1/2 c. shredded mozzerella cheese
- 1 c. shredded provolone or other complimentary cheese
- 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese + extra for sprinkling over the top
- 3 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 recipe Meat Sauce for Pasta, or 2 jars of store-bought spaghetti sauce
Cook jumbo shells according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cheeses, eggs, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Strain pasta shells and organize your workspace so that your baking dishes, shells, cheese filling, and sauce are nearby. Cover the bottom of each baking dish with 2 ladlefuls of sauce. Then, begin filling your shells. Take a cooked shell in hand, and stuff about a Tbsp. of cheese filling inside. I do this by using a teaspoon (not the measuring kind, the kind you would use at the table). I take a heaping spoonful of the filling and push it off the spoon into the shell. Place each stuffed shell into the baking dish on top of the sauce. Repeat with the remaining shells, until the baking dishes are full. Shells should be arranged in a single layer. Top each dish of shells with remaining sauce. Be generous - it will be prevent the shells from drying out. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through. Serves 8 to 10.
Note: if you'd like to freeze one of the dishes, do not bake it. Wrap it for the freezer after the stuffed shells are topped with sauce. When ready to use, defrost, and bake (covered with foil) at 400 degrees until shells are heated through (20 to 25 minutes).