Lemon and basil ricotta stuffed shells in a champagne cream sauce is just as decadent as it sounds. Ps. I made my own ricotta!
Can you EVEN believe I almost forgot to share with you this delicious baked pasta recipe?
It was back in November when I made this pasta and I remember the day perfectly…
It was real sunny. My hair in a scrunchy, the stretchy grey comfy-pants are on, I was totally rocking the whole I-don’t-give-a-care-what-I-look-like-it’s-my-day-off look like nobody’s business. I’d once again put laundry on the back burner that afternoon (who has time for THAT?), turned on a little Florence and the Machine, opened the fridge to get the creamer for my coffee and then I spied the champagne and then… the cream. I squinted at the cream… then back to the champagne… then back to the cream… then, well you get the point.
POW (that’s the exact sound it makes in my brain when a recipe happens)! Thanks to one-too-many aired Olive Garden commercials advertising some pasta dish with champagne cream sauce and of course a huge THANKS to that left over lemon and basil ricotta, because at that very second it dawned on me; PRC… pasta, ricotta, champagne cream sauce! Not only was it fun to make… but a little messy, messy and I got to sip on a lot little bubbly while I was cooking. It was only 12:30-ish… it felt awesome.
It WAS awesome.
To Make This Lemon and basil ricotta stuffed shells You Will Need:
- jumbo shells
- lemon basil ricotta
- pecorino romano
- unsalted butter
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- garlic
- champagne
- heavy cream
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Please don’t think I ran out and bought champagne. Oh no-no! I have had it in my fridge for two freeeeaking years! My friend Heidi left it two (maybe it’s really been three years?) New Year’s Eves ago! Wait. Does champagne go bad??
Butter a baking dish and set aside.
On the large holes of your box grater; shred 1 cup of Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.
Season 1 and 1/2 cups of lemon basil ricotta with a little extra salt and pepper if you haven’t already.
Combine the ricotta with 1/2 cup of Pecorino Romano and set aside.
And then measure out 3/4 cup of champagne.
Next, cook 1 box of jumbo pasta just short of al dente in salted water. You most likely won’t use them all but some may stick and/or break in the cooking process.
Then drain and spread them out onto a rimmed sheet pan or some parchment paper.
Next, use spoon to stuff each shell with some of the cheese and place them in your prepared dish.
Then in a small sauce pan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and add 1 to 2 cloves finely minced garlic. I pressed mine in with a garlic press, it saves SO much time.
Next, whisk until the garlic softens and is fragrant but not brown.
Then add in 3 tablespoons flour and whisk, whisk, whisk until it is absorbed. Cook the flour mixture for a minute.
Next pour in the champagne…
Then add in 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Whisk, whisk, whisk some more.
Next, season with fresh ground black pepper.
And then pour it over the stuffed shells.
If things are smelling heavenly, then you’re on the right track!
Next, top with the remaining Pecorino Romano and place in a 350° oven until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. I didn’t write how long I baked this for, sorry bout that. If I had to guess it was 20-25 minutes.
Finally, remove and let the ricotta stuffed shells cool a bit before serving. Sometimes all one needs is a little pasta, a little cream sauce and a glass of champagne in the middle of the afternoon to make’em feel awesome.
Enjoy! And if you give this Ricotta Stuffed Shells recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Lemon-Basil Ricotta Stuffed Shells in a Champagne Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 box jumbo shells, you won't use them all but some may break in the cooking process
- 1½ cups lemon basil ricotta
- 1 cup pecorino romano, grated on the largest holes of a box grater
- 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 clove fresh garlic
- 3/4 cup champagne
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- pinch kosher salt, more or less to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Butter a large {or two small} baking dish and bring a large pot of water to boil and season generously with kosher salt. Cook the jumbo shell pasta two to three minutes shy of al dente or shy of the box directions.
- Mean while, season the ricotta with salt and black pepper. Mix in half of the grated pecorino and set aside.
- Once the pasta is partially cooked, drain well and spread out onto a rimmed baking sheet or some parchment paper. With a spoon stuff enough shells until the ricotta is gone and place the stuffed shells into the prepared dishes. Discard or save any unused shells for another purpose.
- In a small sauce pan melt three tablespoons of butter, once melted grate or finely minced in the garlic. Cook until fragrant and soft, but not browned. Whisk in the three tablespoons of flour and cook, while whisking, for a minute. Pour in champagne, still whisk while you pour in the heavy cream. Let bubble, whisking often, until slightly thick 1-2 minutes. Add some fresh ground black pepper, then remove and pour evenly over the stuffed shells.
- Place in a preheated oven and bake until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbly. About 20-25 minutes.
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These sound so freaking yummy! Love this idea!
You. Are. Brilliant. (nuff said)
I would like to bathe in that sauce and not wash it off. Okay?
i don't know what's wrong with me, but i've never even attempted stuffed shells before. this needs to be remedied, STAT. oh, and i need to take a shot of that champagne cream sauce. STAT 🙂
OMG! Laurie, a recipe with a CHAMPAGNE cream sauce?! This sounds like a celebratory meal… perhaps V-day day? Stunning, absolutely stunning pics!
Ohmygosh you're cracking me up here!
I'm in. Anything with champagne and cream sauce. Yes yes! Love this 🙂
So decadent! Love this.
Stooooop it! I'm totally making these for my dinner party this weekend! I was struggling to figure out what to make. Thank you, thank you!
This looks like a delicious recipe. I love the idea of using champagne in a cream sauce. Great post!
OOOOOO.
MMMMMM.
GGGGGG.
They look delicious..Thanks for posting it dear..
Aarthi
http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/
YUM! P.S. Where did you get your salt and pepper shakers?? So cute!
I would devour this whole dish!! So creamy and comforting!!
Wait, you had a bottle of champagne for two years? That's crazy talk. I get one home and it lasts until the next weekend. I looove stuffed shells.
Champagne cream? Oh man, you live to torture me! 😉 That looks so, so delicious.
YUM!! This looks great! I loved stuffed shells.
Having the self-control to leave champagne in your fridge for 2 years…what must that be like? 😉 Gorgeous recipe!
Ok, yum!! I have champagne in my fridge too – what an amazing idea!
I have to make this, looks so good!!
This is amazing. I love how pretty it is. You dress like me when cooking. I just wish it was socially acceptable to go out in public like that.
I haven't been able to stop thinking about these shells. I must make them!
I loved this recipe so much I shared it on my site's facebook 😀 The site's eatinginbed.com but I will be making these stuffed shells! My mom made them all the time growing up and it was always with a red sauce, so I'm excited for a creamy variation!
That looks divine! I want to face-plant in it 😀
I was just saying the other day how I wanted to make stuffed shells. This sauce looks super incredible.
Wow these look amazing and something I could totally make!
Made this today. Simply amazing. Thank you!
This looks AMAZING! Can't WAIT to try!
Oh my goodness, what a gorgeous recipe! Champagne sauce? Yep, I'm sold.
One more great Pasta-Recipe! Thank you Canuck. Greatz from me and my man too.
all pasta is good pasta
I can't believe you had a bottle of Champagne in your fridge for TWO years and you didn't drink it!!! Wow, your self-control is amazing. I subscribe to Mme Bollinger's view (she of the great French Champagne house):
Champagne
She was asked "When do you drink champagne?", and replied:
"I only drink champagne when I'm happy, and
Love it!
How did you make the lemon basil ricotta cheese?
It's probably simple but do you have an exact recipe?!
Looks delish!!
This might be silly but how much lemon and basil did you put into the ricotta?? The recipe just states to use lemon basil ricotta, did you buy it that way?? Thank you.
Hi there! Here is the link to the lemon basil ricotta 🙂 http://www.simplyscratch.com/2012/01/homemade-lemon-basil-ricotta.html
I made this tonight. If I die tonight, I'll die happy. If I could marry a pasta dish, it would be this one. If I name my next child lemon-basil-ricotta stuffed shells with champagne cream sauce, it would not surprise me.
Thanks x's 1,000,000.
They look delicious..Thanks for posting it dear..
i'll tell ya..i just made this and it is fantastic!! i went through some other recipes that you have [which i will definitely be making] and i love your humor! thanks for this 🙂
Any tips for preparing some of this ahead of time? (I know the cheese can be done ahead of time) but what about the sauce, or all of it?
Very excited to try this out!
Thanks!
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Making this tonight for a guy I’ve been dating! Just worried about there being enough sauce and whether the champagne flavor comes through?
You should be fine 🙂 I can definitely taste the wine too! Enjoy!
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Es una receta maravillosa, felicitaciones !
It is an amazing recipe, congratulation !
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Hate to be the Debbie downer, but this recipe was awful. My boyfriend also agreed. He actually snuck his plate into the kitchen and threw 75% of it in the trash. Waaaayyyy too much champagne. I followed this recipe to a tee. I had spent a lot of money at Whole Foods on all organic ingredients and a highly recommended champagne. This is why I had to come warn everyone else not to waste their money. I wish someone else would have done the same.