A delicious cheat meal for Friday featuring jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a creamy cheese mixture and baked with marinara sauce and mozzarella. This comforting dish is perfect for a cozy family dinner and can be served with garlic bread.
1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2: Boil shells in salted water for 1 minute less than al dente, set a timer to avoid overcooking them. Drain once cooked and gently rinse with cold water until the water on the bottom comes out cool. Set aside.
3: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4: Add the spinach and toss to coat. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Set aside and let cool.
5: Place the ricotta in a large bowl and add the seasonings. Stir to combine. Add half of the mozzarella cheese and most of the Parmesan, but reserve a little Parmesan to sprinkle over the top before baking. Add the cream cheese and the egg and stir to combine. Fold in the cooled spinach and garlic.
6: Add half of the marinara sauce to the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, fill each pasta shell with the cheese mixture and place it in the baking dish.
7: Add the remaining marinara sauce, then top with remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan.
8: Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
