Jumbo macaroni shells stuffed with cheese mixture, covered with sauce, and baked.
- Carbohydrate 1.99003018491863 g
- Cholesterol 31.340542181256 mg
- Fat 8.13186111796831 g
- Fiber 0.141799996052019 g
- Protein 12.2645664583651 g
- Saturated Fat 5.11623240052903 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (48g)
- Sodium 335.380447074794 mg
- Sugar 1.84823018886662 g
- Trans Fat 0.437050730617801 g
- Calories 131 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking. Drain.
- Mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, and garlic powder. Rub the dried herbs in the palms of your hands to pulverize them, and stir into the cheese mixture. Stuff mixture into the shells.
- Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 15 x 10 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Spread remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Plunging cooked pasta directly into a bowl of cold water halts residual thermal energy instantly, preventing the delicate jumbo shells from oversoftening before they ever reach the baking dish. Managing moisture and heat transfer in a compact workspace requires careful attention to procedural order, especially when handling a large volume of dairy and wet pasta.
- Rub dried oregano and parsley firmly between the palms of your hands to crush the cellular walls, which releases trapped volatile oils and distributes aromatic compounds evenly throughout the heavy cottage cheese and mozzarella filling.
- Drain the boiled pasta thoroughly on lint-free cotton kitchen towels rather than relying solely on a colander, because excess surface water will pool in the baking dish and dilute the spaghetti sauce during the 350 degrees F oven phase.
- Arrange the filled pasta open side up and tightly packed inside a 15 x 10 inch ceramic or glass pan so the structural walls support one another and prevent the dairy filling from boiling out into the surrounding liquid.
- Bake the assembly uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes until the exterior sauce bubbles vigorously around the edges and the top parmesan crust turns golden brown.
- Allow the baked dish to rest undisturbed for precisely 10 minutes before portioning, giving the internal proteins time to set so individual servings hold their shape on the plate.
Pairing this rich, cheese-heavy casserole with a crisp, high-acidity green salad dressed in a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the heavy dairy fats and balances the palate. Clean-up remains straightforward when working with a single mixing bowl and one baking vessel, keeping workspace footprint minimal.
