Name: Overstuffed Pasta Shell Bake recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 200g dried giant pasta shells; 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil; 2 cloves garlic finely chopped; 250g frozen spinach thawed; 500g fresh ricotta; 2 cups three cheese mix; 1 cup tomato pasta sauce; 300ml thickened cream; 1 pinch salt and pepper *to taste

by Australia's Best Recipes Team Last updated on 08/13/2020

You'll love how easy it is to make our cheesy vegetarian pasta bake. - Australia's Best Recipes Team

Ingredients

200g dried giant pasta shells
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
250g frozen spinach thawed
500g fresh ricotta
2 cups three cheese mix
1 cup tomato pasta sauce
300ml thickened cream
1 pinch salt and pepper *to taste

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet directions or until tender. Drain well.
Step 2

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until aromatic. Add the spinach and cook, stirring often, for 5 mins or until water evaporated. Set aside to cool.
Step 3

Combine the spinach mixture, ricotta and three-cheese mix. Season.
Step 4

Pour the pasta sauce and 2/3 cup off the cream over base of a 12-cup baking dish. Stir to combine. Carefully spoon 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture into each pasta shell. Arrange shells, filling-side up, on top of the sauce. Drizzle with remaining cream and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 mins or until golden.