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Spinach ricotta stuffed shells | RecipeTin Eats

March 23, 2023

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 they usually’ll cook dinner within the oven. These jumbo shells, known as conchiglioni in Italian, are filled with spinach and ricotta. Serve with a Mega Italian Salad and garlic bread for the right 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, they usually break so simply.

There’s no have to endure by all that! It’s a lot simpler to stuff uncooked, raw pasta shells and cook dinner them within the oven just by protecting 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 just to start out 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, truly. And by the tip, that watery sauce reduces down into a beautiful thick pasta sauce!

How to make Spinach ricotta stuffed shells

This technique 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 preferred might be spinach and ricotta and that’s what I’ve gone with as we speak. Sorry for being predictable? 🙂

Jumbo shells (conchiglioni)

Jumbo shells (conchiglioni is the correct Italian title) are extra available today 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 will not be skimpy).

The spinach ricotta stuffing

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

For a meat possibility, use the meat filling in Beef Cannelloni as a substitute.

Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells ingredients

Spinach – use frozen for comfort (thaw, take away extra water earlier than utilizing), or contemporary for those who’ve received an abundance of it
Ricotta – be sure you 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 ugly. My favorite is Paesanella which is bought at Harris Farms and over the deli counter at massive supermarkets.
Shredded cheese – A flavoured one is greatest, like cheddar, tasty, gruyere. Save the mozzarella for the topping (which melts effectively however doesn’t have that a lot flavour).
Parmesan – don’t skip this! It provides further 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 every part higher
Egg – for binding.
Nutmeg – non-compulsory, but it surely’s a beautiful contact. I take advantage of it in nearly all my spinach ricotta fillings.
Salt and pepper

The sauce

I discover this technique of cooking stuffed shells from uncooked works greatest 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 bought 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 may substitute with a small onion.
Herbs and spices – Contemporary 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 manner solely wine can! It’s only 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 right way to make stuffed shells

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

The right 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 principally evaporated.
Simmer 20 minutes – Add the remaining components then simmer on low for 20 minutes with the lid off.
Watery sauce! The sauce might be VERY watery and there might be hundreds. Have religion! You want all of it – the shells soak up most of that liquid. Preserve the sauce scorching – we wish to use it scorching.

Stuffing & bake

Stuffing – Combine the spinach ricotta stuffing components 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 software). Else a knife, spoon – no matter you discover makes it best for you.
Assemble – Pour the new sauce right into a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13″ baking dish. Then gently place the pasta shells in. They are going to be principally submerged, some may semi-float. However you need most if not the entire pasta submerged beneath liquid so it cooks evenly (a bit poking above is okay as it’ll steam-cook).
Bake 70 min lined – Cowl the dish with a baking tray (or foil) and bake for 70 minutes. Sure, actually, it’ll take that lengthy!

Why a baking tray? Straightforward solution 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 quantity.
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 aspect 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 the right way to make it

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Spinach ricotta stuffed shells | RecipeTin Eats

Stuffed shells