Sunday lunch: see stuffed conchiglione recipe – 05/07/2023 – Food

Of all the cooked pasta dishes, the stuffed conchiglione is usually loved, and for good reason: the fluffy ricotta filling, strong tomato sauce, melted cheese and the large size of the pasta create the ultimate comfort food, and the advance preparation aspect is equally attractive.

The tomato sauce can be made five days ahead and refrigerated, or you can save time by substituting three cups of your favorite store-bought marinara sauce.

The dough can be prepared a few hours in advance and then taken out of the refrigerator and cooked an hour before eating. While some versions add frozen spinach, herbs, or lemon, you don’t need anything more than the basics; this classic version is pure comfort.

STUFFED CONCHIGLIONE

Performance: six to eight servings
Total time: about two hours

Ingredients for the sauce:

• A quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil
• One medium onion, finely chopped
• Coarse salt
• Four cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• Three tablespoons of tomato paste
• One can (800 g) of tomato puree

Ingredients for filling and assembly:

• Coarse salt and black pepper
• A pound of fresh ricotta (about two cups)
• 280 grams fresh mozzarella, grated (about 2.5 cups)
• 150 grams Parmesan, finely grated (about two cups)
• two egg yolks
• a clove of garlic
• 350 g of conchiglione

Way of doing:

• In a large cast iron skillet or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, five to seven minutes.
• Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste is slightly darker, about two minutes.
• Add the tomato pulp, season with salt and bring to a simmer. Position the lid to reduce splashing and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 190 degrees.
• Boil a large pot of salted water.
• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta with 1.5 cups of mozzarella, 1 cup of Parmesan and the egg yolks.
• Grate the garlic directly into the bowl, then season with a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper. Stir to mix and set aside.
• Add the conchiglione to the boiling water and cook until almost al dente. (It’s a good idea to cook the pasta for about two minutes less than the minimum time indicated on the package, as they will continue to cook in the oven.)
• Reserve half a cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and run it through cold water to cool.
• Separate 24 conchigliones. (You will have made more pasta than can fit on the plate; it’s just in case any of the shells get ripped. Reserve any leftovers for another use.)
• Mix the pasta water with the sauce, then add half of the sauce to a 35 cm by 25 cm ovenproof dish and spread it out in an even layer.
• Spoon about two tablespoons of the filling into each of the 24 conchigliones, lining up the stuffed pasta on the plate as you go.
• Spoon the remaining sauce over the pasta, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and 1 cup of Parmesan.
• Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. (If you want to brown the cheese, you can grill it for a few minutes.) Let it rest for 5 minutes, then serve.

The New York Times, translated by Paulo Migliacci