Porcini and Spinach stuffed Pasta Shells

These Porcini and Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells are a labour of love that delivers impressive results. Filled with a rich blend of ricotta, Romano, mushrooms, and spinach and baked in a savoury tomato and port sauce, they’re a perfect centrepiece for a special dinner.

Though stuffing the shells takes some effort, the creamy, flavorful filling and gooey mozzarella topping make it all worthwhile. This dish combines elegance and comfort in every bite, a guaranteed hit with guests.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 18 Large Pasta Shells
• 20g dried Porcini Mushrooms
• ½ cup Port
• 100g Ricotta Cheese
• 50g grated Romano Cheese
• 2 cups grated Mozzarella Cheese, divided
• 1 Jar Pasta Sauce, pre-made (I used garlic and red wine)
• Chopped Tomatoes
• ½ Onion, chopped
• Garlic, chopped
• 150g Spinach, chopped (I used free-flow frozen spinach)
• Parsley, chopped
• 1 Egg
• Oil, for sautéing

Method

1. Soak Mushrooms in Port.
2. Cook shells halfway. Drain, and toss with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
3. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.
4. Add spinach, and sauté just until wilted. Set aside.
5. Finely chop mushrooms, reserving port.
6. Mix Pasta sauce, tomatoes, and Port (from mushrooms).
7. In a large bowl, combine Ricotta, Egg, Romano, Parsley and 1 cup of Mozzarella; mix well.
8. Stir in mushrooms and spinach and combine well.
9. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Coat the bottom of a baking pan with tomato sauce.
3. Fill each shell to the top, and place in the pan. The easiest way to stuff the shells is to use a pastry bag with no tip attached.
4. Place the filled shells in rows, touching. (If using a deep dish, the shells can be double-stacked.)
5. When all shells are in the pan, cover with more sauce, and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and a little more parsley.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
8. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.