Directions. Soak the rice in a container that holds at least twice the volume of rice: Cover the rice with 2 to 3 inches of room-temperature water and soak for 6 to 24 hours. If you need to shorten the soaking time, soak the rice in warm (about 100 degree) water for 2 hours.
Prepare your oven or food dehydrator. Basil leaves dry beautifully in either an oven set to very low heat or a food dehydrator. If you're using the oven, set it to the lowest temperature - 200 Â°F (93 Â°C) or lower. If you're using a food dehydrator, ready it for operation according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Cook until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir the basil into the sauce a few minutes before it is done. Preheat the oven to 425Â° F. Stir the shells into the boiling salted water, and cook, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until slightly firmer than al dente, about 7 minutes. Fish the shells out of the water with a large skimmer, and carefully lower them into a bowl of cold water.