These saucy stuffed shells are satisfying, even without the cheese

This vegan take on an Italian American classic fills the pasta shells with a savoury, slightly tangy concoction made with jarred artichokes and cashews.

“What did you put in the ricotta?” Ann Maloney asked me.

We were at a holiday party for the Food team at my house, and Ann – The Post’s recipes editor at the time – was raving about a dish of baked stuffed shells I had made. In our years of working together, Ann and I got to know not just each other’s cooking style, but our communication style, too. So my response was nonverbal: a raised eyebrow, a sly grin and a shake of the head.