3 Cheese Courgette Stuffed Shells
I first came across recipes for ricotta stuffed shells and the like years ago, declared them as “too fiddly” and moved on with things.
They looked so good, though. So lush, so creamy, so full of cheese. Baked to a bronzed perfection, I just couldn't forget them.
A few months ago I made a recipe for three cheese ravioli and, while absolutely delicious, they took ages to make (as fresh pasta always does, I knew what I was in for). Then, a few days ago I figured the filling was way too delicious to not have more of, but I was nowhere near in the mood of making pasta from scratch again.
I also had a bounty of courgettes lying around, which is rather common at this time of the year. An upped vegetable content has always been my goal with most of my recipes so I figured, why not.
This franken-pasta dish was born, and I regret nothing. I was right though, it is fiddly. But you can absolutely make a double portion and freeze part of it. Or eat it cold out of the pan the next day with abandon, as we did. I for sure won’t judge.
The fresh herbs add a fantastic flavour to the dish, use plenty of soft herbs, I am sure mint would work very well here too. The cheese mix is just decadent, use what you have on hand but make sure there is a soft creamy cheese, like ricotta, a melty one, like mozzarella, and a deeply savoury one, like grana padano, parmesan, pecorino. From here, the variations are endless. I’m sure you could use cream cheese, cheddar, an aged gruyère. Take inspiration from your cheese drawer first.
I chose to make my own tomato sauce but a good quality jarred one will work beautifully. You can also make the filling and sauce the day before and assemble everything on the day you plan to serve.
Do let me know if you make this and don’t forget to subscribe for more recipes straight to your inbox!
Ingredients (serves 4, generously)
For the tomato sauce
500ml passata (I like the one with basil), more if you would like a saucier pasta
4 anchovies from a tin (do not worry, it will absolutely not taste like fish)
4 cloves of garlic (measure with your heart), thinly sliced
chilli pepper flakes, optional
salt and pepper, to season (you will need very little salt, as the anchovies bring a savoury flavour)
For the pasta shells
250g (half a pack) jumbo pasta shells - conchiglioni - about 30 shells
250g ricotta
150g fresh mozzarella, torn into small pieces
50g grana padano, finely grated
1 bunch basil leaves, finely chopped
1 bunch parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 small courgettes, cut into thin slices
To finish
100g shredded mozzarella cheese (the less creamy kind, like for pizza)
Start by making your tomato sauce. In a pan over medium heat add a glug of olive oil. Add the garlic and anchovies and sauté until the garlic is light golden brown and the anchovies are almost melted into the sauce. Add the chilli flakes, passata, and cook over medium-low heat until deeply flavoured, around 45 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Bear in mind the anchovies are very salty so make sure to try the sauce first before adding more salt.
Meanwhile, fry your courgettes. In large pan with 1 inch of oil (suitable for deep frying) fry the courgettes in batches. Make sure to not overcrowd the pan. When golden brown and crispy, take them out and drain on paper towels. Lightly salt.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the conchiglioni 2/3 of the way, according to packet instructions; for me, it was about 12 minutes. They will finish cooking in the oven. When cooked, drain and cool under running cold water. Add a drop of oil and coat them to prevent them from sticking to each other.
Prepare your filling. Mix the three cheeses, herbs, season with salt and pepper (the grana padano is rather salty so make sure to taste). Add the courgettes and mix carefully, trying not to break them too much.
Assembly time. Preheat your oven at 180 degrees Celsius. In a baking dish place generous spoonfuls of tomato sauce, to coat the bottom. Fill each shell with a teaspoonful of cheese mixture and place in baking dish.
Cover with the remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle with plenty of mozzarella.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until cheese is bubbly and the pasta is cooked through.
Serve with a crisp, green salad.
