Cheese Filling for Pasta

This makes enough filling for 12 oz. of manicotti (12 - 14 shells), jumbo shells (35 - 40 shells), or lasagna roll-ups (12 - 14 noodles). Try this recipe if you would like to make your own quick and easy homemade ricotta cheese. Recipe for How to Make Lasagna Roll-ups, How to Make Manicotti, How to Fill Jumbo Shells.

Note: 1/2 recipe of filling filled 7 lasagna noodles to overflowing. Definitely enough for 8 noodles, maybe 10.

4 cups (2 pounds) ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, or similar, cheese
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley (or more)
3/4 tsp. oregano
salt & pepper
pinch nutmeg (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together. Fill the cooked pasta with the filling and place in a pan that has a layer of tomato sauce in it. Filled jumbo shells should be placed open side down. Cover the pasta with more sauce. You will need a total of 3 - 3 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce (26 oz. jar) .

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

10 - 12 servings

For a variation, see the Spinach & Cheese Filling for Pasta recipe. You could use escarole in place of the spinach.