Ricotta and basil filled paccheri pasta with homemade tomato sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
547 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Ricotta and basil filled paccheri pasta with homemade tomato sauce
Description
This recipe uses ridged or smooth paccheri pasta tubes filled with a creamy mixture of ricotta cheese and torn fresh basil leaves, seasoned with salt and pepper. The tomato sauce is prepared by peeling fresh tomatoes, cooking them with garlic and olive oil, adding passata, and simmering with optional crushed red pepper flakes for a subtle heat.
The sauce is smooth with a chunky texture from the fresh tomatoes, balanced by the aromatic garlic and a touch of olive oil. The creamy ricotta filling contrasts the robust tomato sauce, and the size of the paccheri allows for a satisfying bite with cheese and sauce combined.
This dish serves as a filling main course best enjoyed warm, highlighting the soft texture of the cheese filling and the rich taste of homemade tomato sauce.
If pressed for time, a quality store-bought tomato sauce may be used, though making the sauce fresh offers a more vibrant flavor. Alternative pasta tubes like rigatoni can be substituted but are smaller and less easy to stuff fully.
Ingredients
- 12-16 paccheri pasta ridged or smooth
- 500 g tomato 17oz) San Marzano or Piccadilly are good tomatoes to use
- 2 garlic peeled, cloves
- 300 g tomato passata (10 oz) I prefer Cirio'rustico' which is chunkier
- 3-4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- crushed red pepper flakes as required, peperoncino flakes
- salt for pasta and to taste
- black pepper to taste
For filling
- 400 g ricotta cheese 14oz, fresh
- 1 handful basil leaves
- 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 2oz) grated, or grana cheese
Instructions
- Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again.
Make tomato sauce
- Peel the garlic. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water and peel them. Cut into smaller pieces.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet. Add the garlic cloves. When they start to soften add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes soften then add the passata and peperoncino (if using).
- Stir and simmer on a medium heat for about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and remove the garlic when the sauce is ready.
Make the filling
- While the sauce is cooking, make the filling. Put the ricotta in a bowl with most of the basil torn into pieces (don’t use a metal knife on basil as it will turn brown) Mash the ricotta with a fork or use a hand held blender until the ricotta is quite creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- If your ricotta seems to have a lot of liquid, drain it through a muslin or cotton cloth before making the filling.
Finish the dish
- Cook the paccheri al dente and drain. Run some cold water over the pasta to stop it cooking further and to make it easier to fill. Spread some of the tomato sauce over the bottom of an oven dish.
- Use a teaspoon or piping bag to fill each pasta tube. Then place the paccheri side by side in the oven dish on the tomato sauce.
- Once you have filled all the paccheri, sprinkle with some grated parmigiano and bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 until the ricotta and parmigiano start to melt. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with more of the tomato sauce.
Notes
- Using homemade tomato sauce offers richer flavor, but quality store-bought sauce can be used to save time.
- Paccheri pasta works best for stuffing due to its large size; rigatoni can be used but they are smaller and harder to fill.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 547 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 547kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 51g | 17% |
| Protein | 24g | 48% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Cholesterol | 60mg | 20% |
| Sodium | 315mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 857mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 1993IU | 40% |
| Vitamin C | 26mg | 29% |
| Calcium | 395mg | 40% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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