Stuffed Shells with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce

About a week ago, I found Tinkyada large stuffing shells.  I have not been able to get these in, at least, a half a year.  It was a real find and I bought four packages.  Tonight, I used the first package.  I decided to stick to my own traditional recipe, filling them with ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan.  Not so simple.  I knew I had to use my lone eggplant up before it became useless.  Time to incorporate eggplant into my stuffed shell recipe.  It was easy. 

Ingredients

• 12  jumbo  shells
• 1  pound ricotta cheese
• 1/2 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1  onion, chopped
• 1/2 bottle Marinara sauce or your homemade sauce

Directions

Eggplant:

Put eggplant in microwave and bake on high for 8 minutes.  Check for doneness.  Put back in, if it is not done.  You can bake this in the oven instead of the microwave.

Remove eggplant and slit down the middle so you have two long halves.

Scoop out the inedible part.                                                           

Scoop meat of eggplant into a small bowl.

Sauce:

Fry onion till it is lightly browned.

In a medium-sized pot, pour the sauce. 

Add the onion and eggplant.  Let simmer until you are ready to use it.  It should not boil down.

Pasta:

Put up a large pot of water.  Allow to boil.

Follow directions on pasta package and cook accordingly.  I cooked it a few minutes short since it was going to be baked in the oven.  Gluten free pasta must be rinsed well.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.     

Stuffed Shells:

Combine ricotta and half of the mozzarella and Parmesan.  Add parsley. Mix well.                                                                                                              

In each shell, place one heaping tablespoon of cheese mixture.

Pour a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of baking pan (9 x 13).

Place shells on top of layer of sauce.  Mine filled the bottom of the pan.

Pour eggplant-tomato sauce on top of filled shells.   Spread evenly.

Top with remaining half of the mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake for 20 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Eat and enjoy