Asiago Stuffed Shells with Pancetta and Spinach

I've been slacking on my blog the past two months, but this new recipe I just HAD to share! I got the idea while watching Giada on the Food Network one day last week, but I added my own ideas to it with the mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese and garlic. This recipe was relatively quick and easy, and the flavors were amazing. If you love cheese and pasta half as much as I do, you will love this dish!

For the Shells:
1 12-ounce package jumbo shells pasta
1/2 pound thick cut pancetta, cut into small cubes (You can also use bacon for this)
2 16-oz packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped and drained of excess oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-ounce container whole milk ricotta
1 cup grated asiago cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground black peper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups grated asiago cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F

For the shells:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat, add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 to 10 minutes.

In a heavy skillet over medium heat, cook the pancetta or bacon until it is crispy and golden, remove it from the pan and put it in a large bowl. Remove the excess oil from the pan and cook the mushrooms until they are cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the bowl, then add the spinach, ricotta cheese, asiago cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir well to combine all of the ingredients thoroughly. Stuff the cooked shells with the filling and place the stuffed shells in a large buttered baking dish.

For the sauce:
Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the garlic until it becomes fragrant. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, then add the cheese, parsley and pepper. Turn the heat down to low and stir until the cheese melts. Pour the sauce over the shells and top with 1/4 cup asiago cheese.

Bake until it is golden on top, about 20 minutes.