Creamy Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake
Hearty, cheesy, and baked until bubbling – this is comfort food at its finest (and it just happens to be meat-free).
Ingredients
- 250 g jumbo pasta shells or cannelloni tubes if you prefer
- 400 g ricotta cheese
- 200 g fresh spinach or 150g frozen, defrosted
- 50 g grated parmesan plus extra for topping
- 1 egg
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- Pinch of nutmeg optional but lovely
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 x 500g jar passata or good-quality tomato sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano or Italian herbs
- Olive oil for greasing
- Fresh basil to serve optional
Instructions
- Boil the pasta shells in salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet says (they’ll finish cooking in the oven). Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- Wilt the spinach in a frying pan with a splash of water (or just squeeze out excess liquid if using frozen). Chop it up finely and pop it in a bowl.
- Add the ricotta, parmesan, chop the garlic finely or use a garlic press like this if you want to save a bit of time., egg, nutmeg (if using), and a good pinch of salt & pepper to the bowl with the spinach. In a bowl like this, combine the ricotta, parmesan, spinach, and seasoning and mix until creamy and well combined.
- Spoon the ricotta mixture into each shell (a teaspoon works well here). If you’re using cannelloni, a piping bag makes life easier!
- Lightly oil a baking dish like this one. Spread a thin layer of passata over the bottom. Nestle the filled shells on top in a single layer. Pour over the remaining passata, sprinkle with oregano, and finish with extra parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake at 180°C (fan) for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Scatter with fresh basil if you’ve got some and dish up with a simple green salad or crusty bread.