pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach, baked in tomato sauce

    * 250 g large pasta shells (giant conchiglie are best)
    * 1 tbsp grated parmesan

filling:

    * 500 g fresh (blanched and drained) or 3-4 balls of frozen whole spinach leaves (defrosted and drained), chopped finely
    * 500g ricotta
    * 1 mozzarella ball, finely chopped
    * 1 garlic clove, crushed
    * a little grated nutmeg
    * salt and pepper

tomato sauce:

    * 2 tbsp olive oil
    * 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    * 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
    * 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
    * 500 ml vegetable stock
    * 1-2 tsp sugar and a little balsamic vinegar
    * freshly ground black pepper

 

preheat oven to 180˚C

to make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a heavy based saucepan and add the chopped garlic. fry for a couple of seconds until fragrant but not browned. add the chopped basil, black pepper and tinned tomatoes. add the stock, stir well and cover. cook for 20 - 30 minutes. adjust the taste with salt, sugar and balsamic vinegar.

cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for 3 minutes. drain a leave to cool.

mix all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

pour the tomato sauce into a baking tray large enough to hold all the pasta shells in one layer.

fill the pasta shells and place them carefully on the sauce. sprinkle with the parmesan.

cover and bake for about 1 hour.