Summer Stuffed Shells is a delicious vegetarian dish that captures the vibrant flavours and produce of the season. This recipe combines tender jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a creamy ricotta mixture, fresh zucchini, corn kernels and aromatic basil, all tossed in a rich marinara sauce.
Ingredients:
- Kosher Salt
- 1 (12oz) package of jumbo shells
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium courgette, cut into 1/2″ pieces (about 2 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups ricotta
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish
- 1 cup grated mozzarella, divided
- 2 lemons, sliced
- 3 cups store-bought or homemade marinara sauce
Method of cooking:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the jumbo shells and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and leave to cool slightly.
Heat the neutral oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
Add the finely chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the chopped courgette and cook until just tender, about 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the finely chopped garlic and cook for a further minute. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, finely grated Parmesan, corn kernels, finely chopped basil and half of the shredded mozzarella.
Add the cooled onion and courgette mixture. Zest one of the lemons and add the zest to the ricotta mixture.
Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of a large casserole dish.
Fill each cooked scallop with the ricotta mixture and arrange the stuffed scallops in a single layer in the dish.
Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells.
Sprinkle the remaining grated mozzarella over the top.
Cover with aluminium foil and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove from the oven. Squeeze the zest of a lemon over the baked shells.
Garnish with whole basil leaves and additional fresh lemon zest if desired.
