Reviewed: Mar. 28, 2012

I made some slight changes and these were delicious. It was only me and my husband and so I halved the recipe. Instead of plain parmesan I used the shredded Italian cheese mix. I used 1 tsp ground fennel and 3 cloves garlic. I still spread 1/2 cup sauce in the dish before putting the shells in. I removed the foil the last 10 mins of baking. My picky 2 year old ate this!

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Reviewer:

melodee

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Reviewed: Mar. 25, 2012

For me (a seasoned gourmet cook), the filling needed more fennel and basil. I would double the basil and add another TBSP of fennel....which I ground. I released all of the water from the spinach and I believe that made the filling too dry. A little moisture in the spinach may have made it easier to mix. Bake it only 30 minutes or the shells begin to dry out. And choose a sauce your really enjoy as that can really enhance the recipe. I used vodka sauce, but think that next time I would use a sauce that is more garlicky.

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Reviewer:

Camille

Reviewed: Feb. 19, 2012

Yummy!! I changed the original recipe a bit to the ingredients I had on hand. Made my own spaghetti sauce, added 1 egg,1c. mozzerella and 1c. of cottage cheese to the ricotta cheese mixture. I also used a bag of fresh baby spinach (finely chopped) and sauteed it with chopped onion and about four cloves of garlic in olive oil. I also only used 1 tbl. of fennel. I only cooked the shells 5 min. as someone else said. Came out great.My husband loved it. I will definitely will make this again. Thanks!

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Reviewer:

Nancy

Reviewed: Dec. 19, 2011

This was good, but needed a little heat. I used fresh spinach rather than frozen. Next time I will add some crushed red pepper.

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Reviewer:

WatsonGrl

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Reviewed: Dec. 11, 2011

I made this tonight for dinner. I made it for "4" servings instead of 6 because I didn't have that many shells. I added an extra teaspoon of fennel seeds .. and I added extra sauce as I like saucy shells and sprinkled mozzarella cheese on top. Came out excellent! I will be making it again for sure :)

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Reviewer:

Alska Du

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Reviewed: Nov. 12, 2011

I felt this meal was average. It needed something to give the dish an extra kick. Maybe spicy sausage or beef added. I don't think I'll make this again, but it was fun to make...stuffing the shells.

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Reviewer:

Janafay25

Reviewed: Jul. 10, 2011

I made this recipe with FRESH spinach and FRESH basil that I chopped in the food processor and mixed with ricotta, LOTS of garlic, and Parmesan cheese (I didn't have fennel seed on hand). I boiled the shells for 5 minutes and they were perfect to fill without cracking. I topped with fresh grated mozzarella, tomato basil sauce and more Parmesan. Absolutely delish! I think using all fresh ingredients really makes a big difference. I made it a second time for a girls night and everyone loved it, and all my vegetarian friends were really happy to have something good to eat too!

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Reviewer:

cassieee

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Paradise, California, USA

Living In: Berkeley, California, USA

Reviewed: Jul. 3, 2011

Made this tonight and it was a huge hit. I used the fennel called for in the recipe and didn't find it too strong...it added just the right amount of depth to the taste. I did use a spicier spaghetti sauce and added some red pepper, so perhaps that balanced it out a bit. I will definitely be making this again!

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