Crispy Herb-Stuffed Shells with Whipped Feta & Garlic Oil
Ingredients
- 12 shellsjumbo pasta shells
- 8 clovesgarlic
- ½ cupolive oil
- 8 ouncesfeta cheese
- ½ cupricotta cheese
- 4 cupsfresh spinach
- ¼ cupfresh basil
- ¼ cupfresh parsley
- 1lemon
- ½ cuppanko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cupparmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoonred pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoonsalt
- ½ teaspoonblack pepper
Prep
- 01
Peel 8 garlic cloves and slice them thinly
- 02
Roughly chop 4 cups fresh spinach
- 03
Finely chop 1/4 cup fresh basil and 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 04
Zest and juice 1 lemon
- 05
Grate 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 06
Measure out all remaining ingredients
Method
- 01
Preheat oven to 425°F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
- 02
Cook 12 jumbo shells until just al dente, about 9 minutes, then drain and set aside to cool
- 03
While shells cook, heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat and add the sliced garlic, cooking gently for 8-10 minutes until golden and fragrant but not burned, then remove from heat and strain, reserving both the garlic oil and the crispy garlic chips separately
- 04
In a food processor, combine 8 ounces feta cheese, 1/2 cup ricotta, the chopped basil and parsley, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the garlic oil, and black pepper, pulsing until smooth and whipped
- 05
Fold the chopped spinach into the whipped feta mixture until evenly distributed
- 06
In a small bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, red pepper flakes, and 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil
- 07
Stuff each cooked shell generously with the feta-spinach mixture and arrange in a baking dish
- 08
Sprinkle the panko-parmesan mixture evenly over the stuffed shells and drizzle with another tablespoon of garlic oil
- 09
Bake for 15-18 minutes until the tops are golden and crispy and the filling is heated through
- 10
Remove from oven, drizzle with remaining garlic oil, scatter the crispy garlic chips on top, and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving
Spice Tips
The 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes gives gentle warmth. For more heat, increase to 1/2 teaspoon in the breadcrumb topping or add a pinch of cayenne to the whipped feta. Fresh cracked black pepper over the finished dish adds nice bite without extra heat.
Make the whipped feta mixture up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. The garlic oil keeps for 1 week refrigerated. For a lighter version, skip the panko topping. Leftovers reheat well in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.