Stuff Shell Pasta
Servings 4
Equipment
- large pot
- Oven safe shallow oven pot Baking dish
- Medium mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
- fork
- Large spoon (for scooping up and spreading the sauce)
- Tablespoon
- Garlic press/masher (if you have one)
Ingredients
- Pasta shells/Conchiglione Amount depends on number of people – just remember, they grow!
- Mozzarella di buffalo or fior di latte MUST be fresh for the sauce
- 2-3 Garlic cloves
- 1 Bottle Tomato Passata Homemade/Good Quality
- Fresh Basil
- Salt & Pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil EVOO
- For the filling:
- 400 grams Fresh ricotta 14.11oz
- 300 grams Baby Spinach 10.58oz Fresh or Frozen
- 3 tbsp Grated Pecorino or Parmigiano cheese
- Nutmeg
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 Egg
Instructions
- Before anything else, add 5L water to a large pot and once it boils add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions less 1min/30seconds.
- HOW TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
- Shells pasta requires a very simple sauce so put a medium size pot on the stove at a low-medium heat.
- Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil inside and add 2-3 crushed garlic cloves.
- Cook for approx. 2 minutes stirring every so often or until they become shiny and start to golden in colour.
- Add a bottle of passata and stir well.
- Next add a sprinkle of salt and pepper then mix it through before adding the fresh basil leaves and gently stirring them in.
- Let this cook at a simmer for approx. 20 minutes.
- HOW TO MAKE THE FILLING:
- Add spinach leaves to a large pan and leave to cook and wilt. This will need to be stirred every few minutes to make sure It all cooks well – you can add a small amount of water too if it helps.
- Put all the ricotta in a bowl and break it down using a fork.
- Once the spinach is ready (drain any excess water if necessary), add it to the ricotta and mix really well until it is completely combined.
- Add a sprinkle (or two) of nutmeg, pecorino cheese and some salt and pepper and mix once again.
- Then beat an egg on the side before adding it also and mix combine well.
- HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE STUFFED SHELL PASTA:
- First up, strain the pasta – remembering to cook it 30 sec or 1 min LESS than the packet instructions!
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/356°F and line the baking tray with the tomato sauce you prepared, making sure to be generous!
- Using a tablespoon scoop up some of the ricotta mixture and spread it into the open part of the pasta shell until full.
- Fill each pasta shell with the mixture and line the pasta around the edges of your tray, working your way in until the tray is completely full.
- Add extra sauce on top of the stuffed shells pasta and sprinkle a generous amount of pecorino cheese on top before breaking pieces of the fresh mozzarella using your hands and adding it to the top.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven at 180°C/356°F for 20 minutes.
- E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’sPlate….Enjoy!