Spinach Ricotta Conchiglie Bake (Printable version)
Jumbo pasta shells filled with spinach, ricotta, and Parmesan, baked in a rich tomato sauce.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 9 oz jumbo conchiglie (large pasta shells)
→ Filling
02 - 14 oz fresh spinach (or 9 oz frozen, thawed)
03 - 9 oz ricotta cheese
04 - 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1 garlic clove, minced
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Tomato Sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
11 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 24 fl oz passata (sieved tomatoes)
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1 teaspoon sugar
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Topping
16 - 2 oz grated mozzarella cheese
17 - 0.7 oz grated Parmesan cheese
18 - Fresh basil leaves, to serve (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Set the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) to prepare for baking.
02 - Boil salted water in a large pot and cook the pasta shells until just tender, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and lay shells on a towel to cool.
03 - Wilt fresh spinach in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Allow to cool, then squeeze out excess moisture and chop finely.
04 - In a mixing bowl, combine chopped spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper until thoroughly blended.
05 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in passata, dried oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Spread half of the tomato sauce evenly in the bottom of a large baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with the ricotta-spinach mixture using a spoon or piping bag and arrange them in the dish.
07 - Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the filled shells. Sprinkle grated mozzarella and additional Parmesan evenly on top.
08 - Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
10 - Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired, before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It's elegant enough for dinner guests but forgiving enough that mistakes feel like happy accidents.
- You can fill the shells ahead of time and bake them whenever you need a hot meal with that fresh-from-the-oven feeling.
- The creamy filling against the bright tomato sauce creates a flavor balance that somehow feels both indulgent and honest.
02 -
- Squeezing the moisture out of the spinach is the difference between filling that stays put and filling that leaks into the sauce—learn this once and you'll never skip it again.
- Cooking the shells just shy of al dente is essential because they finish cooking in the oven and will soften further; overcook them at the start and you'll end up with mushy pasta.
- The sauce needs at least 10 minutes of gentle simmering to meld the flavors and lose its raw tomato taste; rushing this step means a flatter, sharper result.
03 -
- Invest in good ricotta cheese from a grocery store with decent Italian ingredients—the flavor difference between average ricotta and truly creamy ricotta is enough to make you wonder why you waited so long.
- Don't skip the towel-drying step for the cooked shells; it prevents excess water from pooling in your baking dish and making the bottom soggy.