- Yields: Makes 16 servings (5 shells per serving)
- Preparation: 135 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500g) mild Italian sausages, or spicy sausages. About 4 sausages with casings removed
- 1 spanish onion, finely chopped
- 6 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp (5mL) hot pepper flakes, optional
- 8 cups (2L) fresh kale leaves, finely chopped (or 1 lb/500g frozen chopped kale, unthawed)
- 4 cups (1L) GAY LEA - Cottage Cheese 4%
- 4 cups (1L) asiago/ parmesan/ romano shredded cheese blend, divided
- 80 jumbo pasta shells, 2 boxes 340g each
- 8 cups (2L) prepared marinara sauce
- 1 cup (250mL) parsley leaves, finely chopped (optional)
Individual servings
- 1 cup (250mL) prepared marinara sauce, divided
- 5 stuffed pasta shells
- 2 tbsp (30mL) asiago/ parmesan/ romano shredded cheese blend
- 2 tbsp (30mL) parsley leaves, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Crumble sausage meat into a large, hot skillet; add onion. Cook until sausage is lightly browned and onion is tender. Stir in garlic and hot pepper flakes. Add kale and cook for 5 minutes or until tender; remove from heat. Cool completely.
- Stir sausage mixture with cottage cheese and 2 cups (500 mL) shredded cheese blend. Meanwhile, par-cook shells in boiling, salted water for 12 minutes; drain and rinse under cold running water to cool.
- Divide 5 cups (1.25 L) sauce between two large steam table pans. Fill shells with cottage cheese mixture; arrange, stuffed-side-up, over sauce. Drizzle remaining sauce over shells; cover with foil. (Shells can be reserved, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
- Bake pans at 350ºF (180ºC) for 45 minutes or until shells are hot throughout. Remove foil. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and parsley (if using) and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately or hold warm for up to 1 hour.
- Spoon half the sauce into a small oven-proof serving dish. Top with stuffed shells and remaining sauce. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes or until shells are hot throughout. Sprinkle the cheese and parsley over the top. Broil for 1 minute or until the cheese is melted.
Tips:
- Replace kale with chopped rapini, Swiss chard or spinach.
- Replace sausage with 1 lb (500 g) chopped mushrooms for a meatless dish.
