Cheesy Stuffed Shells With Kale Pesto
BySamantha Seneviratne
Test Kitchen-Approved
Photo by MJ Kroeger
- Serves
- 6
- Prep Time
- 15 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 Minutes
Ingredients
Sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 12 ounce dinosaur kale, stemmed and roughly torn
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup (about 1 ounce) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cup prepared marinara sauce
- 1 cup basil leaves
Shells & Garnish
- 12 ounce jumbo shells
- 1 pound fresh whole-milk ricotta
- 1 cup (4 ounces) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus 1/2 cup (2 ounces) more for garnish
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounce fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
Featured Video
Cheesy Stuffed Shells With Kale Pesto
Directions
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Step 2
Add the kale to the water and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set onto a clean dish towel. Let cool slightly then wring out any excess water. Keep the water boiling.
- Step 3
Toss the kale into a blender. Add the garlic, oil, cheese, and handful of basil. Blend until smooth, adding a bit of the boiling water as necessary to make a smooth sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (A little pinch of pepper flakes would be nice too.) Transfer to a bowl, stir in the beans, and reserve.
- Step 4
Drop the shells into the water and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Step 5
To prepare the filling, mix together the ricotta, parmigiano, egg yolk, and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Step 6
Spread about 1 cup of marinara sauce and half of the kale sauce over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Step 7
Fill each of the shells with a heaping tablespoon of the ricotta mixture and set into the pan. (I like to use a pastry bag to make the job super easy and fast.) Some of the shells break in the cooking process so you may have a few extra. Save them for another day. Or a snack.
- Step 8
Dollop the remaining bean mixture over the filled shells. Top evenly with the remaining tomato sauce and kale sauce. Top with the mozzarella and grated parmigiano. Cover with foil and bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is beginning to bubble, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and broil for a few minutes until the cheese is golden.