Rachs Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells With Creamy Vodka Sauce Recipes

SPINACH-RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS WITH CREAMY VODKA SAUCE

Steps:

• Serves: 6Bring a large pot of water to boil and season it with salt. Add pasta and under cook the pasta 3 minutes less than directions. Drain, arrange cut-side up on parchment-lined tray. For vodka sauce, in large pot over medium heat, combine EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, and butter. When butter melts, stir in the garlic and red pepper and stir 2 minutes, add vodka and reduce by half, add tomatoes, passata, salt, sugar, and basil, and simmer 20 minutes, then add cream and reduce heat to low. Preheat oven to 400˚F. For spinach-ricotta filling, heat a skillet over medium heat with EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, add garlic and stir a minute or 2, add spinach and combine, season with salt and white or fine black pepper and nutmeg, add juice of ½ lemon and cool. Combine spinach with ricotta, egg, diced mozzarella and half the Parm. Pour a couple of cups of sauce into a baking dish and fill shells, arrange open-side up and pour additional sauce over, making a stripe across each row of the shells. I angle the shells in to fill pan tightly. Top with some shredded mozzarella and remaining Parm. Leave enough of the shells peeking out so you can see that these are spinach-stuffed shells. Cover shells with foil and bake 30 minutes, uncover and bake until cheese is brown and bubbly, 12 to 15 minutes more. Garnish with fresh basil.

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.

RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Add flour and stir until light golden, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in onion, bay leaf and clove.
• Gradually whisk in milk.
• Whisk until mixture boils and thickens, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes longer, whisking frequently (sauce will be very thick).
• Remove bay leaf and whole clove.
• Cook spinach in large pot of boiling water just until wilted and tender, about 2 minutes.
• Drain.
• Transfer spinach to bowl filled with ice water to cool.
• Drain well.
• Roll up spinach in kitchen towl and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
• Transfer spinach to processor and finely chop.
• Add spinach to warm sauce, simmer over low heat until spinach is heated through, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.