Spinach-Ricotta Stuffed Shells

I'm pleased to have found another way of packaging the winningest combination of spinach and ricotta. You'll frequently find the two hand in hand, and for good reason. The silky, bright green veggie, gently sautéed in garlic and folded into velvety ricotta, is worthy of consumption spoonful by spoonful. Generally I do take the extra step to create some sort of dish, however. That way there's some sort of structure to provide an occasion for eating the filling. Calzone is my go-to vessel, but toasted phyllo cups have also found themselves shouldering a ladle of the mixture. I'm even imagining splotches of ricotta tossed onto a spinach-dredged pizza crust—perhaps that'll show up on the blog in a little while. For now, these shells put the flavors on my plate, neatly bundled and cloaked in tomato sauce.

Which leads to one of the reasons I so like this recipe. It's a no-nonsense, hearty, oven dish, not unlike lasagna in terms of ingredients. But by using shells instead of pasta sheets, one gets a nifty, well portioned bite. Serving is a cinch, eating more fork-friendly. This version is particularly low-maintenance, as it calls for jarred marinara sauce. Homemade tomato sauce (that is, a sauce of well-developed flavors and substantial texture) remains on my as-yet-a-mystery list. But if you can substitute homemade (or a cream sauce, if you like), please do.

Spinach-Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

1 TBSP olive oil

1/2 lb. spinach, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1/2 lb. ricotta

1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

salt and pepper

1 15. oz jar marinara sauce

14 large pasta shells

parmesan, if desired.

Directions:

--Heat olive oil in a medium pan. Add spinach and garlic and cook until spinach is fully wilted, five minutes or so. Let cool.

--Mix spinach mixture together with ricotta and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

--Heat oven to 500 degrees. Pour 1 cup of the sauce into a 8x8x8 or 9x9x9-inch baking pan, spreading evenly across the bottom.

--Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and let cool just until you can handle the shells without burning your fingers. Fill each shell with 1/3 cup filling and nestle in the pan next to each other.  Pour the rest of the sauce on top of and around the shells. If desired, sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling.