38 JANUARY 2021
HANDB
OOK
I WAS LATE TO THE PARTY when it came to “discovering” spinach-artichoke dip. I
had it for the first time in high school and immediately fell for it—hard. It became
my go-to contribution for potluck college gatherings, when I’d hope and pray for
leftovers to use as an omelet filling or pasta sauce the next day. Several decades
removed from that first experience, I had an aha moment: Why pray for leftovers
when I can create a pasta dish that captures the goodness of my beloved dip and,
dare I say, one-ups it?
For these stuffed shells, I swapped out the spinach in favor of lacinato kale,
which adds richer earthiness and a heftier texture that is particularly well suited
to stuffed pasta. To create the creamy base for the filling, I turned to Boursin cheese,
a shortcut I love because it combines creaminess with a sharp garlic-herb flavor.
I also use pureed white beans because they yield a heartier texture than, say, a
mouthful of cream cheese. The harshest recipe critics—my twin teenage boys—are
the first to declare “Too cheesy! Too mushy!” if a dish doesn’t provide enough
texture. I’m happy to report they said it tasted “like spinach-artichoke dip ... but
better.” And I can think of no higher praise than that. —ANN TAYLOR PITTMAN
Flip the Dip A blast from the past, these
stuffed shells are comfort-food gold.
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Kale and Artichoke
Stuffed Shells
ACTIVE 40 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 5 MIN
SERVES 4
Cannellini beans add hearty creaminess
to these stuffed shells, while mild heat
from Calabrian chiles and earthy sweet-
ness from fennel seeds amp up jarred
marinara sauce. Cook a few extra pasta
shells to have on hand in case some tear
during boiling.
3 qt. plus^1 / 4 cup water, divided
3 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to
taste
16 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
(about 6 oz.), plus more, if needed
11 / 2 cups jarred marinara sauce (such
as Rao’s)
2 tsp. finely chopped jarred Calabrian
chiles (about 3 chiles), or more to
taste
1 tsp. fennel seeds
Cooking spray
1 / 4 cup olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 medium bunches lacinato kale,
stemmed and chopped (about
6 cups)
1 (12-oz.) jar marinated quartered
artichoke hearts, drained and
chopped
1 (15.5-oz.) can cannellini beans,
drained and rinsed
1 (5.2-oz.) container garlic-and-herb
spreadable cheese (such as
Boursin)
4 oz. provolone cheese, shredded
(about 1 cup)
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring 3 quarts
water to a boil in a large saucepan over
medium-high. Stir in 3 tablespoons salt,
and return to a boil. Add pasta shells;
cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al
dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse
with cold water; set shells aside.
2. Stir together marinara, Calabrian
chiles, and fennel seeds in a medium
bowl. Season with salt to taste. Spray a
13- x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish
with cooking spray; spread sauce in an
even layer in dish, and set aside.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet
over medium; swirl to coat. Add garlic;
cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant,
about 30 seconds. Add kale, and toss to
coat. Drizzle remaining^1 / 4 cup water over
kale. Cover and cook until kale is tender,
about 5 minutes, stirring once halfway
through cook time. Add artichoke hearts;
cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally,
until warmed, about 2 minutes. Remove
from heat.
4. Combine beans, spreadable cheese,
and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a food
processor; process until smooth and
creamy, about 45 seconds, stopping to
scrape down sides as needed. Add bean
mixture to kale mixture, and stir until well
combined. Season with salt to taste.
5. Spoon bean mixture evenly into cooked
pasta shells (about 3 tablespoons per
shell). Arrange shells on marinara mix-
ture, and sprinkle evenly with provolone.
Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven until
provolone melts and sauce is bubbly,
about 20 minutes. Increase oven temper-
ature to high broil, and broil until cheese
begins to brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve
hot. —ANN TAYLOR PITTMAN
MAKE AHEAD Pasta shells can be stuffed
up to 2 days ahead and stored in
refrigerator. Let shells come to room
temperature before baking.
WINE Peppery Southern Italian red: 2 018
Segno Librandi Cirò Rosso
photography by GREG DUPREE
FOOD S
TYLING: CHEL
SEA
ZIMMER; PR
OP
STYLING: CLAIRE SPOLLEN
