1 tablespoon Plus 1 Teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 box jumbp pasta shells (18-20 shells)
2 cups chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pound ground veal (I used ground turkey)
10 ounces frozen spinach -- thawed and squeezed dry
15 ounces ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon essence
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 jar of red pasta sauce
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish (9 x 13 baking pan) with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil.
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pasta shells, and cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally with a long-handled spoon to prevent the shells from sticking together. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain
In a medium skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over med heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until very soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the veal and cook, stirring, until cooked and browned. Add the squeezed spinach and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Add the spinach/meat mixture, essence, remaining teaspoon of salt, the basil, oregano, and pepper, and stir to combine thoroughly. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the spinach-ricotta filling into each cooked pasta shell. Place the filled shells in the prepared dish.
Pour the red sauce over the filled shells top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.