These delicious baked pasta shells filled with meat and creamy ricotta are the ultimate comfort food.
Function: Added Steam, Circo Therm®, Cooktop, Induction cooktop
Baked meat and cheese pasta shells
Ingredients
350g large pasta shells, Conchiglioni pasta
Tomato sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ -1 tsp chilli flakes, or to taste
1 x 700g jar passata
2 stems of basil
Salt and pepper
Filling
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
500g lean beef mince
500g fresh ricotta
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup grated mozzarella
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup basil leaves, finely chopped
Pinch ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Topping
½ cup grated mozzarella, extra
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, extra
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Method
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over high heat, Induction Pot Boost level, add pasta, stir and reduce heat to cook pasta until just ‘al dente’. Drain, rinse with cold water and allow to cool on a clean tea towel until ready to fill.
To make the sauce, heat a frying pan over moderate heat, Induction level 7, add the olive oil, onion and garlic and cook until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chilli, passata and basil. Lower heat, Induction level 4-5 to cook sauce and develop flavour for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and take out the basil leaves before using.
While pasta and sauce are cooking, make the filling. Heat a large frying pan over moderate heat, Induction level 7. Add the olive oil, onion and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the heat to Induction level 9 and add the mince, stir constantly to brown the meat well, 5 to 10 minutes. Spread the cooked mince onto a plate to cool.
Place the remaining filling ingredients into a bowl and season well with salt and pepper. When the mince has cooled, stir through the cheese mixture.
Preheat oven on CircoTherm 180°C, VarioSteam medium and place wire rack on shelf 2.
To assemble the dish, pour ¾ of the sauce into a large baking dish large enough to hold the pasta shells in a single layer. Spoon or pipe the mince and cheese filling into the shells and arrange shells on top of the sauce. Pour over remaining sauce and top with extra grated cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve sprinkled with parsley, fresh bread and salad.
Notes
If VarioSteam is not available, cover the pasta dish with foil for 20 minutes of the cooking time. Remove foil and continue cooking for the remaining 15 minutes.
Authors Bio
As a trained Home Economist and Chef, Fransje knows that good cooking comes from confidence in the kitchen. With 27 years of industry experience, Fransje can help you decode the appliance manual and share some delicious dishes.