Preheat oven to 350F (175C)

Prepare shells according to package instructions, but boiling one minute less than instructed on package. Drain, allow to cool several minutes, then separate and place on a baking sheet while you prepare your filling.

While the shells are boiling, I’ll usually start preparing my pan and making my filling:

Lightly butter the sides and bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Layer with several spoonfuls of marinara sauce (just enough to lightly coat the bottom).

Prepare filling by stirring together ricotta cheese, 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese (170g), ⅓ cup parmesan, cream cheese, egg, parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, and ground pepper until well-combined.

Portion into prepared shells by heaping spoonful.

Evenly spoon remaining marinara sauce over shells. Top with remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese (56g) and a sprinkle of grated parmesan (if desired).

Lightly butter one side of a piece of foil (or spray with cooking spray) and loosely place foil (butter side down) over your dish. Transfer to 350F (175C) oven and bake for 20 minutes, covered, then remove foil and continue to bake an additional 5-10 minutes.

Enjoy!