Ingredients
Scale
Gathering ingredients for this dish is like preparing the canvas for a beautiful painting. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 12 jumbo pasta shells
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound mushrooms, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
If you find yourself without ricotta, cottage cheese works as a great substitute. For a deeper flavor, consider using a mix of different mushrooms like cremini and shiitake. Each ingredient plays a role in creating the dish’s rich tapestry of flavors.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a baking dish.
- Cook the jumbo pasta shells according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and sauté until they are browned and any liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic to the mushrooms and cook for an additional 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the ricotta cheese, half of the mozzarella, half of the Parmesan, heavy cream, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Stuff each cooked shell with the mushroom and cheese mixture and place them in the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the top of the shells.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Cooking is as much about intuition as it is about following a recipe. Remember the lessons from my grandmother’s kitchen: trust your senses and adjust the seasonings as needed to suit your taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International