Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 extra large shallot, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 zucchini, finely cubed (brunoise)
• 2 cup broccoli florets, chopped up finely
• 1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed, and wrung out of all excess liquid
• 1/2 cup thawed frozen peas
• 50 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 tablesppon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• pinch of nutmeg
• 2 pounds ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces goat cheese, plus 4 ounces
• 2 stems mint, leaves chopped
• 1 stem tarragon, leaves chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup parmesan cheese

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.  Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta, and salt it.  Butter two 9”x13” baking dishes.
2. Cook the jumbo pasta shells in the boiling water until just under al dente.  Drizzle a large baking sheet with oil, and spread the shells out on it to allow them to become cool enough to handle.
3. In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil and the butter, and add the shallot, garlic, zucchini, broccoli, and spinach.  Season, and cook until fragrant and soft—about 5 to 7 minutes.  Spoon into a bowl to cool.
4. Meanwhile, mix the ricotta, 4 ounces of chevre, the egg yolk, the mint and tarragon, and the peas in a large bowl.  When the vegetable mixture has slightly cooled, add it to the cheese mixture, and mix to combine.
5. Make the béchamel by melting the butter in a saucepot.  Whisk in the flour, and allow to cook over medium heat—watching with a close eye—for about 3 or 4 minutes, until the mixture smells a bit like cookies baking in the oven.  Whisk in the cold milk, and then the cold cream.  This won’t thicken as much as a traditional béchamel, so just whisk as you heat it through.  Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
6. Stuff the shells with the cheese mixture, and place seam-side-down in the butter baking dishes.  Pour half the béchamel over each baking dish.  Top with more crumbled chevre, and parmesan.
7. Bake the shells covered for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.  Then raise the heat to 400, and bake another 30 minutes uncovered.