Spinach ricotta stuffed shells | RecipeTin Eats

March 20, 2023

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There’s no have to pre-cook shells earlier than you stuff them. Such a ache messing round with scorching floppy shells! Simply bake in a great deal of sauce and so they’ll cook dinner within the oven. These jumbo shells, known as conchiglioni in Italian, are full of spinach and ricotta. Serve with a Mega Italian Salad and garlic bread for the proper dinner.

Stuffed shells

I don’t know for those who’ve ever tried, however stuffing scorching cooked pasta shells is a nightmare. Slipper suckers that they’re, and so they break so simply.

There’s no have to endure by means of all that! It’s a lot simpler to stuff uncooked, raw pasta shells and cook dinner them within the oven just by overlaying them in a LOT of sauce. It 100% works. It’s the way in which I’ve been cooking cannelloni/manicotti all my life.

The trick is solely to begin with a big quantity of watery sauce that the pasta shells cook dinner in. Not dissimilar to cooking pasta in a pot of boiling water, really. And by the tip, that watery sauce reduces down into a beautiful thick pasta sauce!

How to make Spinach ricotta stuffed shells

This methodology of cooking additionally offers with one other pet-peeve of mine: dry pasta shells. No worries about that right here, we find yourself with loads of tomato sauce for serving!

Freshly baked Spinach ricotta stuffed shells

What you want for stuffed pasta shells

Whereas there’s many stuffing choices for pasta shells, the most well-liked might be spinach and ricotta and that’s what I’ve gone with at this time. Sorry for being predictable? 🙂

Jumbo shells (conchiglioni)

Jumbo shells (conchiglioni is the correct Italian title) are extra available nowadays in Australian grocery shops (Woolies, Coles, Harris Farms) and the first cause I went on a stuffed shells bender.

They’re somewhat costlier than typical pasta shapes – round $5 for a 500g / 1 lb packet. However they go additional. You’ll want 250g / 8 oz for this recipe which serves 5 generously, probably 6. (Let me remind you, I’ve a quite sturdy urge for food! My serving parts should not skimpy).

The spinach ricotta stuffing

Right here’s what you want for the stuffing. Precisely the identical mixture I exploit for spinach ricotta cannelloni, spinach ricotta rolls and the fan-favourite spinach ricotta rotolo.

For a meat choice, use the meat filling in Beef Cannelloni as an alternative.

Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells ingredients

Spinach – use frozen for comfort (thaw, take away extra water earlier than utilizing), or recent for those who’ve received an abundance of it
Ricotta – remember to use a meals high quality full fats, creamy one. Tip for Australians: keep away from Good Italiano tub within the fridge aisle of main supermarkets. It’s fairly powdery and unsightly. My favorite is Paesanella which is offered at Harris Farms and over the deli counter at giant supermarkets.
Shredded cheese – A flavoured one is finest, like cheddar, tasty, gruyere. Save the mozzarella for the topping (which melts nicely however doesn’t have that a lot flavour).
Parmesan – don’t skip this! It provides additional savouriness and seasoning to the filling. Simply retailer purchased finely shredded or grated is okay, or grate your individual.
Garlic – as a result of it makes all the pieces higher
Egg – for binding.
Nutmeg – elective, but it surely’s a beautiful contact. I exploit it in nearly all my spinach ricotta fillings.
Salt and pepper

The sauce

I discover this methodology of cooking stuffed shells from uncooked works finest with a clean pasta sauce quite than one with lumps of crushed or diced tomatoes. The shells cook dinner extra evenly and when it finishes baking, you’re left with a beautiful clean pasta sauce.

Ingredients in Spinach ricotta stuffed shells

Tomato passata – Pureed, strained plain tomatoes, typically labelled “tomato puree” within the US (right here’s a photograph of Mutti tomato passata offered at Walmart). Available in Australian supermarkets these days, alongside pasta sauces. Wonderful for making clean sauces quite than simmering for ages to breakdown crushed or diced tomato. Extra on tomato passata right here.

Substitutes – US Hunt’s tomato sauce is an ideal various. In any other case, use crushed canned tomato then puree (like I do for cannelloni/,manicotti).
Eschalots –Also referred to as French onions, and known as “shallots” within the US. They appear to be child onions, however have purple-skinned flesh, are finer and sweeter. To not be confused with what some folks in Australia name “shallots” ie the lengthy inexperienced onions.

I like utilizing eshalots quite than onions as a result of they’re finer in order that they nearly disappear into the sauce so that you get a beautiful clean sauce. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to substitute with a small onion.
Herbs and spices – Recent garlic, bay leaf, dried thyme and dried oregano.
Tomato paste – To accentuate the tomato flavour and thicken the sauce barely.
White wine – Provides depth of flavour / complexity into the sauce in a approach solely wine can! It’s just one/3 of a cup and we simmer to cook dinner out the alcohol. Substitute with extra inventory, or simply skip it.
Vegetable inventory – We’d like a complete litre / quart (4 cups) as a result of we’re making a LOT of VERY watery sauce right here! Simply watch the video and also you’ll see the way it all will get absorbed by the pasta shells, forsaking a beautiful thickened pasta sauce for serving.
Sugar – Only a smidge, to take the bitter edge off the tomato paste we’re utilizing (tomato paste is bitter!).

The best way to make stuffed shells

It’s really extraordinarily straight ahead and the recipe has a pleasant circulate to it: make the sauce first, then whereas it’s simmering, stuff the shells. Then assemble and bake!

The best way to make sauce for stuffed shells

Sauté aromatics – Prepare dinner the garlic and eschalots with the herbs in a big saucepan or small pot.
Tomato paste and wine – Prepare dinner off the tomato paste for 1 minute (this takes the uncooked bitter edge off and deepens the flavour) then add the wine and simmer quickly on excessive warmth till it’s largely evaporated.
Simmer 20 minutes – Add the remaining substances then simmer on low for 20 minutes with the lid off.
Watery sauce! The sauce will likely be VERY watery and there will likely be hundreds. Have religion! You want all of it – the shells take up most of that liquid. Hold the sauce scorching – we wish to use it scorching.

Stuffing & bake

Stuffing – Combine the spinach ricotta stuffing substances collectively.
Stuff the uncooked raw shells. I discover it best to make use of a small offset spatula (like a butter knife with a bend in it, tremendous helpful kitchen instrument). Else a knife, spoon – no matter you discover makes it best for you.
Assemble – Pour the recent sauce right into a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13″ baking dish. Then gently place the pasta shells in. They are going to be largely submerged, some would possibly semi-float. However you need most if not the entire pasta submerged below liquid so it cooks evenly (a bit poking above is okay as it would steam-cook).
Bake 70 min coated – Cowl the dish with a baking tray (or foil) and bake for 70 minutes. Sure, actually, it would take that lengthy!

Why a baking tray? Straightforward strategy to cowl the baking dish, no waste, no burning your self, and it lets somewhat little bit of steam escape to assist the sauce cut back simply the correct amount.
15 min bake, cheesed – Take away the baking dish from the oven. Sprinkle with cheese then bake for an extra quarter-hour till bubbly and golden.
Serve! Scoop and serve. Marvel at how the shells are completely al dente and the way there’s a lot beautiful sauce to serve it with!

Spinach ricotta stuffed shells fresh out of the oven

Serve with a fast rocket balsamic salad (that’s arugula, to these of you within the States!) or for those who’re out to impress, a Mega Italian Salad (it lives as much as its title). Add a facet of garlic bread and tiramisu to complete, and that’s just about my concept of an ideal dinner. When am I coming over?? – Nagi x

Watch find out how to make it

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Spinach ricotta stuffed shells | RecipeTin Eats

Stuffed shells