Ricotta Pumpkin Shells (Print-Friendly Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Shells
01 -
About 24 jumbo pasta shells in one box
→ Stuffing
02 -
2 cups (480 g) ricotta cheese
03 -
15 oz (425 g) pumpkin puree can
04 -
1 cup (100 g) freshly grated parmesan
05 -
1 large egg
06 -
A pinch of nutmeg, around 1/4 teaspoon
07 -
1 teaspoon kosher salt
08 -
1/2 teaspoon black pepper ground
09 -
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
10 -
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
→ Sauce
11 -
One jar of Rao’s vodka sauce
12 -
A quarter cup (60 ml) heavy cream
→ Cheese Topping
13 -
1 cup (110 g) shredded mozzarella
# Step-by-Step Directions:
01 -
Fill a big pot with water and get it boiling. Cook jumbo shells following the package directions until they’re just tender. Drain them and spread on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, gently pull apart any stuck shells. Let them cool off.
02 -
Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
03 -
Grab a bowl and mix ricotta, half of the pumpkin puree (240 g), parmesan, egg, nutmeg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and fresh sage. Stir it all until smooth and blended well.
04 -
In another bowl, mash together the rest of the pumpkin puree (185 g), the vodka sauce jar, and the heavy cream until it’s all combined nicely.
05 -
Pour about 75% of your sauce mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking pan. Spoon around 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin-ricotta mix into each cooled shell. Place the shells open-side up on top of the sauce layer.
06 -
Cover the dish with foil and bake it for 30 minutes in the oven you heated earlier.
07 -
Take off the foil and scatter the shredded mozzarella all over the shells. Put the pan back in the oven without the cover and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and browned a bit. You can broil it for a short time if you want a crispier top.
08 -
Serve the shells warm with plenty of sauce on each plate.
# Helpful Notes:
01 -
To get ahead, stuff the shells after boiling, then chill them in a covered dish (don’t submerge in sauce) for up to a day. When you’re ready to bake, add sauce to the baking pan, layer stuffed shells on top, cover, and bake as before.