Simple to make and very good. This recipe is very flexible and additional ingredients can be added to suit individual preferences. I do agree the fennel seeds really add something. The next time I make these I will double the fennel. Be careful not to over boil the shells before draining and stuffing. About five minutes in boiling water makes them tender. I used a potato ricer to squeeze the water out of the spinach. I then used a food processor to mix all of the ingredients. Since the spinach is usually long and stringy the food processor method gives you a perfectly mixed filling that is easy to handle when filling the shells. Serve this with a green salad and garlic bread. It s a keeper.
We love this dish! Had never tried the fennel seed - that was yummy! I added about 1 cup grated mozzarella to the cheese mixture as well as a beaten egg (just think it binds the filling a little better). Also sprinkled mozzarella over the top.
This recipe was awesome both times that I made it. The first time I made them they turned out so well that I made them again the next day and froze the bunch for ready made suppers. They froze wonderfully and reheated easily I just popped them into the oven frozen and baked them for about 1 hr. They turned out just as well as making and eating them the same day. What I really enjoyed about this recipe was the flavor the fennel seeds gave. I would definitely make this over and over again. Oh by the way it was a real hit with my husband and three teenagers!!!
This is a very easy recipe that is actually pretty good. I made a few modifications -and next time I will make a few more. I like spinach but the spinach very much overwhelmed the ricotta cheese. Next time I would add 2 containers of ricotta cheese to the 2 packages of spinach. I like the flavor the fenel gives but I really do NOT like biting into a fenel seed! So next time those suckers are getting CRUSHED before I add them! I added minced garlic instead of cloves, and I used more spaghetti sauce than the recipe calls for. I also added mozzarella cheese on the top along with parmesan. Instead of boiling the shells until they are super soft and pliable I soaked them in boiling water until they were still firm- but moveble- this made it soooo much easier to fill! but yet they cooked all the way through in the oven. I also added the mixture into a ziploc bag and cut the corner off the bag to fill the shells- works fairly well if you do not have a piping bag! Plus you can get more filling into the shells and it's a let less mess- and looks more presentable and uniform!
Based on some other responses I motified this recipe & removed the fennel seeds added one beaten egg & 1 C shredded moz. cheese. Also I cut spinach in half. Served them for a ladies lunch & they went over wonderfully! Nice make ahead dish so you are not rushing at last minute & can enjoy your company
Excellent! I made a few changes...... One box of jumbo shells made 4 dinners for my husband and I (5 shells each). I used 2 tubs of ricotta, only 2 cloves of garlic, 2 packages of spinach and 2 cans of Bravo sauce which I cooked with the garlic and 2 small onions. I bought 3 tin containers with cardboard lids (you can find them at the grocery or dollar store for a dollar something) and filled the three throwable containers and one regular baking pan with the shells. While our dinner was baking, I covered the rest of the containers with a piece of cardboard tightly and placed it in a freezer bag. After they had cooled, I threw them in the freezer for "TV dinners". Came out perfect!
Wish I had read the reviews first - I definitely would have either left out the fennel seeds or added less. Otherwise It was excellent! Next time I'll buy 1 box of 24 shells for the receipe and just overstuff them. I could see using a little less spinach and more garlic. Would definitely make again - My husband wants to add shrimp to the receipe next time! YUM!!!!
great! I made a few adjustments to suit our taste but my husband and kids said to add it to the list it's a winner! Note: I remove the fennel seed and add a italian seasoning instead of just basil. I also use cottage cheese instead of ricotta just a preference.
I used one pkg of spinach and left out the fennel. Yummy! My vegetarian daughter loved them!
