This delicious Italian dish is loaded with green Swiss chard. It is good for an everyday family meal, or even for company. Serve with plenty of extra sauce.
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
- 6 oz dry jumbo pasta shells
- 1 1/2 c cottage cheese
- 1 c Provolone or Muenster cheese, shredded
- 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 c finely chopped fresh green Swiss chard
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 c marinara or tomato pasta sauce
Directions:
- Cook pasta shells in plenty of boiling salted water for 8-10 minutes, or until ‘al dente’. Remove with a slotted spoon, retaining boiling water. Drain shells; cool.
- Add the chard to the pasta water and bring back to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Drain well in a fine strainer, pressing excess water out with a spoon.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, blend the cottage cheese, half of the Provolone cheese, the Parmesan, chard, pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning.
- Place a thin layer of the marinara sauce in bottom 11 x 7 x 2 inch baking pan (or similar).
- Fill each shell with a rounded tablespoon of the chard mixture. Place the shells in a single layer in the baking pan.
- Spoon a tablespoon or so of sauce over each. Add the remaining Muenster cheese to the top. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until hot and the cheese has melted. Serve hot with extra sauce if desired.