Description
A delicious fall dish featuring jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a creamy pumpkin and ricotta filling, topped with vodka sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box jumbo pasta shells (approximately 24 shells)
- 480 g ricotta cheese (2 cups)
- 425 g pumpkin puree (15 oz can)
- 100 g grated fresh parmesan cheese (1 cup)
- 1 large egg
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 0.5 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
- 1 jar Rao’s vodka sauce
- 60 ml heavy cream (1/4 cup)
- 110 g shredded mozzarella cheese (1 cup)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the jumbo pasta shells according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and transfer to a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then carefully separate any shells sticking together. Allow to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 240 g of pumpkin puree, grated parmesan, egg, nutmeg, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and minced fresh sage. Mix thoroughly until smooth and uniform.
- In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 185 g pumpkin puree, the entire jar of vodka sauce, and heavy cream. Stir until fully blended.
- Spread three quarters of the prepared sauce mixture evenly across the base of a large 23×33 cm (9×13 inch) baking dish. Using a spoon, fill each cooled shell with approximately 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin-ricotta filling and place filled side up atop the sauce layer.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the shells. Return the dish uncovered to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden. Optionally, broil briefly to further brown the cheese.
- Serve hot, ensuring generous portions of both shells and sauce.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, ensure that the vodka sauce is free from meat products.
- Feel free to adjust the seasoning according to taste.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg