Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 eschallots/shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 bay leaf, fresh (sub dried)
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 700g / 25 oz tomato passata (US: tomato sauce)
- 1/3 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine (sub more stock)
- 4 cups vegetable stock/broth, low sodium
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp white sugar
- 1/3 tsp black pepper
Filling
- 250g / 8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 500g / 1 lb ricotta, full fat
- 1/2 cup parmesan, finely shredded
- 1 cup shredded cheese (Mozzarella, Colby, Cheddar, Tasty, Gruyere, Swiss, anything!)
- 1 egg
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- Grated fresh nutmeg or 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder (optional)
- 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Stuffed Shells
- 250g / 8 oz jumbo pasta shells (conchiglioni)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup parmesan, shredded
- Fresh basil and parmesan, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Make Sauce: Heat olive oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, finely chopped onion or shallots, bay leaf, thyme, and oregano. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
- Reduce Wine: Add white wine and increase heat to high. Let it simmer rapidly until most of the wine evaporates, about 2 minutes.
- Simmer Sauce: Add tomato passata, vegetable stock, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and simmer uncovered on low heat for 20 minutes. Keep hot for assembling.
- Prepare Filling: Squeeze excess water from thawed spinach using your hands. In a bowl, combine squeezed spinach with ricotta, shredded parmesan, shredded cheese, egg, minced garlic, nutmeg (if using), salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan) to prepare for baking.
- Stuff Shells: Carefully stuff the uncooked jumbo pasta shells generously with the spinach ricotta filling. Be sure to fill each shell fully for maximum flavor and texture.
- Assemble in Baking Dish: Pour the hot tomato sauce evenly into a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish. Gently place the stuffed shells in the sauce so most are submerged; some might poke out above the surface.
- Bake Covered: Cover the dish with a baking tray or foil and bake for 70 minutes. This allows the shells to cook perfectly in the sauce without drying out.
- Add Cheese Topping: Remove the cover and sprinkle mozza and parmesan cheeses over the shells. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Garnish with extra parmesan and fresh basil if desired. Serve hot with plenty of the flavorful tomato sauce.
Notes
- Eschallots/shallots are small, sweeter onions with purple skin—do not confuse with green onions often called shallots in Australia.
- Tomato passata is pureed, strained tomatoes excellent for smooth sauces; in the US, Hunt's tomato sauce or crushed canned tomatoes can be a good substitute.
- Frozen chopped spinach is used here for convenience; if using fresh, wilt about 500g fresh spinach and squeeze out excess moisture before mixing.
- Full-fat ricotta ensures a creamy, moist filling; low-fat ricotta tends to be drier and less flavorful.
- Jumbo pasta shells do not need pre-cooking, making stuffing easier and preventing shells from breaking.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen; reheat covered in the microwave for best results.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian, American-Italian, Western
