Eat at Joe's: Baked Stuffed Shells

• portioner: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredienser

Fine sea salt

6 ounces (170g) jumbo (not large) pasta shells

Scant 1½ cups (190g) chopped canned or jarred artichoke hearts (packed in oil or water), drained

2 cups (260g) raw cashews (see NOTE), soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed

2/3 cup (12oml) plus 1 tablespoon plant-based milk, such as nut, oat, or soy

1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar

1½ tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 garlic clove, peeled but left whole

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest (from ½ lemon)

3 cups (700ml) homemade or store-bought marinara sauce

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Instruktioner

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes shy of al

dente according to the package directions. Drain, then spread onto a sheet pan until cool

enough to handle.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Use your hands to squeeze the extra liquid out of the artichoke hearts. Transfer to a food

processor. Add the cashews, milk, vinegar, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder,

lemon zest, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Puree until completely smooth, scraping down the

sides of the bowl as needed. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Pour half the marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9 × 13-inch (23cm × 33cm) baking

dish with a cover. Stuff each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the cashew ricotta

mixture. (If you have a pastry bag, it can make the job easier. If not, use a small spoon.)

Place the stuffed shells on top of the sauce. Pour the rest of the sauce into the baking

dish, leaving some of the cashew ricotta mixture exposed.

Cover and bake until hot and bubbling and the pasta is completely cooked, about 30

minutes. Let sit for a few minutes, then top with the chopped parsley and serve warm.

NOTE: Buy raw (unroasted, unsalted) cashews in bulk and store them in the freezer,

which preserves the freshness so essential for getting this and other mixtures luscious and creamy.

Anteckningar

Cashews: If you’re nut-free, raw sunflower seeds make a surprisingly close substitute; soak and use them exactly as you would the cashews. Silken tofu (about 1½ cups/340g, well-drained) is another option, though the texture will be slightly less rich and you’ll need to reduce the milk by about half.

• Artichoke hearts: Frozen artichoke hearts (thawed and squeezed dry) work just as well as canned. In a pinch, canned hearts of palm, chopped, give a similar mild, slightly vegetal flavor in the ricotta.

• Pasta shells: Can’t find jumbo shells? Large manicotti tubes work well; pipe the filling in with a pastry bag or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. Gluten-free jumbo shells, from brands like Jovial, are increasingly available and work seamlessly here.

• Plant-based milk: Any unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk works. Avoid anything with added vanilla or sweetener, which would throw off the savory filling.

• Marinara sauce: Any jarred marinara you love works great here. For a different profile, swap in an arrabbiata sauce for heat, or a vodka sauce (many store-bought versions are vegan; check the label) for something richer.