Directions

1. 1

   Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before beginning.

2. 2

   Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the jumbo pasta shells, and cook according to package directions until just tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the shells carefully in a colander.

3. 3

   Spread the drained pasta shells on a baking sheet in a single layer and let them cool until they are comfortable to handle, about 5 minutes. This prevents them from sticking together.

4. 4

   In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, pumpkin puree, garlic powder, fresh basil, dried sage, salt, and black pepper. Stir until well blended. Add all but 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese to the mixture and fold gently to combine. Reserve the remaining 1 tablespoon of cheese for garnish.

5. 5

   Spread the spaghetti sauce evenly over the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold all shells in a single layer.

6. 6

   Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the pumpkin-ricotta filling into each cooled pasta shell. Arrange the filled shells seam-side up on the sauce, placing them close together.

7. 7

   Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes until the shells are heated through and the sauce is warm.

8. 8

   Remove the foil from the baking dish, sprinkle the reserved 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese evenly over the tops of the shells, and return to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes more until the cheese is lightly golden and the edges are bubbly.

9. 9

   Remove the baking dish from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. The shells are ready to serve when they are hot throughout.