Ingredients
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces extra-large shell pasta
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, shallots, parsley, egg yolk, and Parmesan cheese, half of the salt, and half of the black pepper. Mix until smooth, about 2 minutes.
2. Cook the pasta as directed in the package. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool enough to handle.
3. Using a spoon and your fingers, fill each shell half full with the stuffing until a the pasta is filled.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. When it foams, remove it from the heat and add the flour slowly, whisking to make a paste.
6. Return the pan to the heat and whisk in the milk, extremely slowly.
7. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and the taste of flour has gone, about 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining salt and pepper.
8. Into an 8-by-8-inch casserole or baking dish (about 3 inches deep), ladle enough sauce just to cover the bottom. Spread out one-third of the stuffed pasta , then pour one-third of the sauce over it. Repeat twice with the remaining pasta and sauce.
9. In a small frying pan over medium heat, melt the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter and add the bread crumbs, stirring until the bread crumbs are toasted, about 2 minutes. Put them on top of the pasta.
10. Put in the oven and bake until lightly golden, about 20 minutes