Baked conchiglioni pasta shells with spinach and ricotta
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
25 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
1013 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Baked conchiglioni pasta shells with spinach and ricotta
Description
This recipe features conchiglioni or lumaconi pasta shells filled with a mixture of ricotta cheese, cooked and well-drained spinach, eggs, Parmigiano cheese, and seasoning including nutmeg. The pasta is cooked slightly less than al dente to maintain shape during baking. The tomato sauce is prepared by gently cooking garlic in olive oil before simmering with tomato passata or peeled tomatoes. Béarnaise style béchamel with flour, butter, milk, and nutmeg adds a creamy, spiced layer.
The filled shells are baked covered with tomato sauce and béchamel, and sprinkled with grated cheese to create a golden, bubbly crust. The result is a dish with creamy interiors, tender pasta, and a balanced interplay of savory cheeses and tomatoes. The nutmeg highlights warmth and depth in the filling and sauce.
These pasta shells can be served as a main or smaller finger-food portions. The tomato sauce is optional, enabling the dish to be adapted for different uses. Individual oven-proof dishes allow for personalized servings, and the shells can be prepared without sauce using just béchamel and cheese on top.
Ingredients
- 250 g conchiglioni pasta 9oz) you can also use lumaconi, shells
For the filling
- 300 g ricotta cheese 10.5oz, fresh
- 1 kg spinach 2.2lbs) or 300 g frozen spinach (10.5oz, fresh
- 2 egg
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 70 g Parmigiano Cheese 2.5oz) grated, or Grana cheese
- salt for pasta, tomato sauce and to taste
- black pepper to taste
For tomato sauce
- 3-4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 700 g tomato passata 1.5lbs) or 400 g peeled San Marzano tomatoes (14oz, I use rustica
- 2 garlic peeled, cloves
For the bechamel
- 75 g all-purpose flour 2.6oz
- 75 g butter (2.6oz)
- 500 ml milk (16floz) add more milk if necessary
- 1 pinch nutmeg
For serving
- 50 g Parmigiano Cheese 2oz) grated, or Grana cheese
Instructions
To make the filling
- Whether using fresh or frozen, cook the spinach as normal without adding any extra liquid. Drain the spinach making sure you have removed as much liquid as possible then, once it has cooled, chop it and mix it in a bowl with the ricotta, the eggs and the Parmigiano, adding nutmeg, salt and pepper as required.
Cook the pasta
- Put a pan of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt when it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the conchiglioni a little less than the time required for al dente, then drain and let the pasta cool. (it’s better to separate the shells before they cool as they may stick together)
To make the tomato sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet, add the whole peeled garlic cloves and cook until they start to soften and brown. Add the tomato passata or the fresh peeled San Marzano tomatoes (I also like to use half passata and half unpeeled fresh cherry or datterini tomatoes). Let the sauce simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the garlic when the sauce is ready.
To make the bechamel
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour a little at a time, whilst stirring continuously, until you have a smooth paste. Add the milk a little at a time, again continuously stirring, until the sauce starts to thicken. If your béchamel seems lumpy you can use a hand blender to make it smoother. I like to add a pinch of nutmeg to the béchamel.
Put the dish together
- Cover the bottom of an oven dish with some of the tomato sauce and some béchamel. With the help of a teaspoon or small tablespoon, take a little of the filling and fill each conchiglioni, then place it in the oven dish.
- Add some more béchamel to the top of each pasta shell. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce over the shells and finish with a sprinkling of Parmigiano, then bake in a preheated oven 180- 200° C for about 20 minutes until the top starts to brown.
- Serve immediately with extra grated Parmigiano or grana if required.
Notes
- The recipe can be made without tomato sauce for a lighter presentation, especially if serving as finger food.
- Butter the oven dish and top shells with béchamel and Parmigiano for a simple baked alternative.
- Serving in individual oven-proof dishes allows portion control and convenient serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1013 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 1013kcal | 51% |
| Carbohydrates | 96g | 32% |
| Protein | 47g | 94% |
| Fat | 52g | 80% |
| Saturated Fat | 26g | 130% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 18g | 90% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 196mg | 65% |
| Sodium | 996mg | 42% |
| Potassium | 2665mg | 57% |
| Fiber | 11g | 44% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Vitamin A | 25700IU | 514% |
| Vitamin C | 89mg | 99% |
| Calcium | 985mg | 99% |
| Iron | 13mg | 72% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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