Best Baked Shells With Fresh Spinach And Pancetta Recipes

SPINACH-RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes; season with salt. (You should have about 4 heaping cups of sauce.)
• Make the stuffed shells: Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook as the label directs for baking, about 9 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Spread out on a baking sheet.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a large plate lined with a kitchen towel. Squeeze to remove any excess liquid, then finely chop.
• Put the spinach in a large bowl and add the ricotta, mozzarella, parsley, Parmesan, lemon zest, beaten egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir until combined.
• To assemble, spread about half of the sauce in the bottom of a 10-by-14-inch baking dish. Evenly fill the shells with the spinach-ricotta mixture using a spoon, or pipe it in using a pastry bag. Arrange the shells side by side, open-side up, in the baking dish on top of the sauce, then top with the remaining sauce.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake until heated through and the sauce is simmering around the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until any shells or cheese poking through the sauce are lightly browned in spots, about 10 more minutes. Let sit 10 minutes. Top with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes.

STUFFED SHELLS WITH CRISPY PANCETTA AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and allow to cool before stuffing.
• Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the spinach, onion, garlic, parsley, ricotta cheese, asiago cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
• Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture each and place the stuffed shells in a large, buttered baking dish.
• For the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the cream and bring to a simmer.
• Turn the heat to very low and add the 2 cups asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper. Stir until the cheese is dissolved.
• Pour the sauce over the shells. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese.
• Bake, covered, until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

SHELLS WITH CRISPY PANCETTA AND SPINACH - GIADA DE LAURENTIIS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Shells:.
• Boil large pot of salted water over high heat.
• Add pasta and cook until tender but firm to bite, 8-10 minutes.
• Drain pasta.
• Warm olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
• Add pancetta, cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
• Remove pancetta with slotted spoon to large bowl, let cool.
• Add spinach, ricotta and asiago cheeses, pepper and nutmeg to bowl.
• Stir to combine.
• Stuff shells with about 2 TBS. of spinach mixture.
• Place shells in large buttered baking dish.
• Sauce:.
• Melt butter in medium saucepan.
• Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add cream and simmer.
• Turn heat to very low and add 2 cups of asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper.
• Stir until cheese is melted.
• Pour sauce over shells.
• Top with remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese.
• Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes.
• Remove and serve immediately.

SPINACH AND PANCETTA STRATA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a bowl. Add the onion to the pan drippings in the same skillet and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and garlic. Saute over medium-low heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, nutmeg, and the cooked pancetta.
• Place half of the bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bread, then top with half of the spinach mixture. Repeat layering.
• Whisk the milk, eggs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over the strata. Chill the strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake strata uncovered until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

SHELLS WITH CRISPY PANCETTA AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the shells:
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
• Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl. Add the spinach, ricotta cheese, asiago cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture each and place the stuffed shells in a large, buttered baking dish.
• For the sauce:
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to very low and add the 2 cups asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper. Stir until the cheese is dissolved. Pour the sauce over the shells. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese. Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.