Stuffed Shells With Vegetable Bolognese Sauce

This year, I have decided to serve manicotti and stuffed shells, at the Chanukah party. Actually, I decided to make the shells but I saw a box of manicotti and wanted to play with it, too.  I made one tray gluten-free for hubby, one tray regular stuffed shells and one of manicotti.  


I used a spinach cheese mixture for one tray of manicotti and one tray of shells.  I made this vegetable -pasta dish as the second shell dish.  This is the new recipe for me and it is intriguing.  I added the mushrooms because I could, as my husband would say.  I also used diced tomatoes which was not in the original recipe.

I have to plan the rest of the menu.  I am thinking garlic bread and spinach salad with a simple dessert.  Sorbet and cookies sounds good to me.

Stuffed Shells With Vegetable Bolognese Sauce (adapted from   Ragú )

Ingredients :

1 can diced tomatoes (about 16 ounces) (serves 8)
1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 8 oz.)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, unpeeled and chopped
1. cup mushrooms, sliced
1 large carrot, sliced very thin with mandolin
1 medium roasted red pepper, chopped
2 cups Marinara sauce
2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
1 box jumbo shells pasta (about 24 shells), cooked and drained (I didn't have enough for 24 - instead, I filled 16.)
Method:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella and Parmesan cheese in medium bowl; set aside.

Pour can of tomatoes on bottom of shallow lasagna pan.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook onion, zucchini, mushrooms, carrot and red pepper, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in spinach. 

Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
 
Stuff shells with cheese mixture. Arrange shells in baking dish over tomatoes. Pour Marinara sauce mixture over shells. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.

Bake covered 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.