Eggplant Stuffed Shells
This is a recipe that I've adapted from my previous job. The original called for cottage cheese, but I still believe that stuffed pasta dishes are best with ricotta cheese. The stuffing for the shells tastes like you're eating eggplant parmigiana. It is so delicious, and you can have 4 shells for each serving. The recipe serves 8, but you can easily cut this recipe in half. It tastes even better the next day!
(This is a picture of the shells before baking.)
Eggplant Stuffed Shells
Serves 8
1 box (12 ounces) jumbo pasta shells
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), peeled and chopped
1 cup water
1 jar (32 ounces) spaghetti sauce (preferably low-fat)
1 container (8 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 serving egg substitute
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
salt and pepper
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 375F. Cook pasta shells according to package directions; set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the eggplant to the skillet; sauté for 5 minutes. Add the water to the skillet. Cover skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Let mixture cool completely.
Combine the ricotta cheese, egg substitute, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the cooled eggplant mixture to bowl and mix well.
Spread some spaghetti sauce over the bottom of a large baking dish (you may need a smaller dish as well).
Spoon about 1 tablespoon eggplant mixture into each cooked shell and place each in the prepared dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Cover dish and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover dish and bake about 20 minutes longer.
(Each serving—4 shells—is 10 pts plus.) (Updated 2/3/12)
(This is a picture of the shells before baking.)
Eggplant Stuffed Shells
Serves 8
1 box (12 ounces) jumbo pasta shells
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), peeled and chopped
1 cup water
1 jar (32 ounces) spaghetti sauce (preferably low-fat)
1 container (8 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 serving egg substitute
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
salt and pepper
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 375F. Cook pasta shells according to package directions; set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the eggplant to the skillet; sauté for 5 minutes. Add the water to the skillet. Cover skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Let mixture cool completely.
Combine the ricotta cheese, egg substitute, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the cooled eggplant mixture to bowl and mix well.
Spread some spaghetti sauce over the bottom of a large baking dish (you may need a smaller dish as well).
Spoon about 1 tablespoon eggplant mixture into each cooked shell and place each in the prepared dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Cover dish and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover dish and bake about 20 minutes longer.
(Each serving—4 shells—is 10 pts plus.) (Updated 2/3/12)
Comments
I made the recipe with my own twist: I added Italian sausage and basil and rolled up the filling into a sort of manicotti with the no-boil lasagne noodles. It was excellent! Thanks for the recipe.
Anne M.