Pumpkin Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Jumbo pasta shells filled with pumpkin, ricotta, Parmesan and nutmeg, baked in a simple crushed tomato sauce under bubbling mozzarella. A cozy October dinner.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10
- Serves
- 6
Pumpkin puree holds a lot of water, so blot it with a paper towel before mixing if yours looks loose; the filling should mound on a spoon. Assembled shells keep covered in the fridge for a day before baking (add 10 minutes under the foil), and leftovers reheat well.
Method
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Heat the oven to 375°F. Boil the shells in well-salted water for less than the package time, so they are flexible but still firm. Drain, rinse briefly under cool water, and spread on an oiled tray so they do not stick.
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Stir the crushed tomatoes with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, the sugar and 1/2 tsp of the salt. Spread about two thirds of the sauce over the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
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In a bowl, mix the ricotta, pumpkin, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the egg, nutmeg, pepper, sage and remaining 1 tsp salt until smooth.
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Spoon about 2 tbsp of filling into each shell and nestle the shells, open side up, in the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over and between them.
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Sprinkle with the mozzarella and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan, and drizzle with the last 1 tbsp olive oil. Cover with foil and bake .
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Remove the foil and bake more, until the cheese is golden in spots and the sauce is bubbling at the edges. Rest , scatter with basil, and serve.
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