After making my Homemade Ricotta I was eager to use it in a new recipe. This one was a hit with everyone except for Isaac, which isn't a surprise. :) This recipe for Broccoli-Stuffed Shells is very similar to my Manicotti recipe and if you're wanting to change it up even more use spinach instead of broccoli.
Start by steaming 2 cups of broccoli until tender. Once cooked chop the broccoli into small pieces.
Bring a pot of water to boil and cook 24 jumbo pasta shells. Dump the cooked pasta into a colander and rinse with cool water. Pat dry with a paper towel.
Heat 2tbs of oil in a medium skillet and saute 1 medium onion, finely chopped.
Add in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds to a minute. Just enough to heat everything through.
Scrap the onions and garlic into a food processor and blend for a few seconds.
Add in 3 tbs chopped basil or 1 tbs of dried basil and 2 tbs of fresh lemon juice, blend for a few seconds.
Add in the chopped broccoli and process until broccoli is chopped finely.
Now the next step you can continue in the food processor or you can mix it by hand. Either way works just as fine and it doesn't take a lot of effort if done by hand. add 1 1/4 cups of Ricotta cheese and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese and mix until blended.
Stop everything you've been doing and take a picture of your two daughters throwing up the peace sign while acting all gangsta' with their hoodies.
Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a shallow baking dish.
Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the broccoli-cheese filling into each shell and place them stuffed side up in the dish.
Use 2-3 cups of tomato or spaghetti sauce to cover the shells.
Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes.
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