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1
Preheat oven to 350 F.
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2
Butter a large (or two small) baking dish and set it aside.
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3
Bring a large pot of water to boil and season generously with kosher salt.
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4
Cook the jumbo shell pasta two to three minutes shy of al dente (use the manufacturers instructions for al dente, then stop 2-3 minutes shy of that).
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5
Meanwhile, season the lemon and basil ricotta with salt and black pepper.
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6
Mix in half of the grated pecorino and set aside.
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7
Once the pasta is partially cooked, drain it well and spread it out onto a rimmed baking sheet or some parchment paper.
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8
With a spoon stuff enough shells until the ricotta is gone.
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9
Place the stuffed shells into the prepared dishes.
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10
Discard or save any unused shells for another purpose.
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11
In a small sauce pan over medium heat melt three tablespoons of butter.
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12
Once melted, add the clove of garlic.
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13
Cook until fragrant and soft, but not browned.
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14
Whisk in the three tablespoons of flour and cook while whisking, for about a minute.
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15
Pour in the champagne and continue to whisk while you pour in the heavy cream.
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16
Let the mixture bubble (still whisking) until slightly thick, 1-2 minutes.
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17
Add some fresh ground black pepper, then remove the pan from the heat and pour the sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
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18
Place in a preheated 350 F oven and bake until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.
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19
Then remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
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20
Note: Recipe for Homemade Ricotta with Lemon and Basil can be found in Wanna Be A Country Cleaver recipe box.
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21
Or simply mix a third cup of fresh minced basil and a teaspoon of lemon zest in with 1 1/2 cups of whole milk ricotta cheese.
