Best-ever Stuffed Shells

Yield: 8 servings

1 large bunch parsley

1 garlic clove

2 eggs

2 pounds ricotta cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 1⁄2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to oil the pan

1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg

16 ounces jumbo pasta shells 4 cups Mama Picroni’s Tomato Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mince parsley and garlic together until it almost forms a paste. Place in a large bowl with eggs, ricotta, 1⁄2 cup of the Parmesan, olive oil and nutmeg; mix until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste (Parmesan is salty, so it will not need much salt). Cover and place in refrigerator to set.

Boil 4 to 6 quarts of salted water in a large pot. Add pasta and boil until partially cooked, about 9 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Spread out on plates to avoid sticking, separating any shells that have nestled inside others. Oil the inside of an 11-by-7-inch baking pan.

Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture, and place one layer — open side up — in the prepared pan. Cover with half of the tomato sauce and sprinkle with 1⁄4 cup of the Parmesan. Add a second layer of the shells on top, cover with the remaining tomato sauce and the remaining 1⁄4 cup of Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake until done, 30 to 40 minutes. Per serving: 559 calories; 28 g fat; 12 g saturated fat; 150 mg cholesterol; 36 g protein; 44 g carbohydrates; 15 g sugar; 5 g fiber; 700 mg sodium; 460 mg calcium