If you’ve been around here long enough, and I know many of you have, you know mum and I are passionate about pasta. We could have named this blog Penne Penne (penne girl in Malayalam) and it would have been very fitting. Anyway. All to say, when I tell you that this is the best pasta I’ve ever made, I have never been more serious in my life. There are so many textures going on here — there’s the ricotta and mushroom filling, little pieces of crisp shell and mozzarella where it’s browned on top, the pasta itself — it’s all very satisfying. This recipe is the second in our partnership with Brik Oven of Comfort Foods for One and there is nothing more comforting to me than a plate of pasta. You’re going to have to slice up some mushrooms, and crush some garlic, but other than that, it’s a mix and dump situation.
Recipe: Ricotta & Mushroom Pasta Shells
Serves 2
Ingredients
250 g jumbo pasta shells (conchiglioni)
200 g mushrooms, sliced
3 tbsp butter
200 g ricotta
3–4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp chilli flakes
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme (optional)
A ball of fresh mozzarella
2 cups of pulp + juice for a can of tinned tomato
Freshly ground pepper
Salt
Method
Heat the butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Add a dash of neutral oil to stop the butter from burning.
Add in the mushrooms and cook until they turn golden. This is going to take a few minutes so be patient.
Stir in the garlic, salt, chilli flakes, thyme and saute for another minute.
Let the mixture cool.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the shells for 3 minutes less than the cooking time on the package.
Drain and set aside.
Once the mushroom mixture has cooled, stir in the ricotta. Check and adjust seasoning.
Using a tablespoon, fill the pasta shells with the ricotta and mushroom filling.
Pour the tinned tomato into a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
In a 8x8 inch tin, spread a little of this tomato mixture to coat the bottom.
Assemble the pasta shells in a single layer on top.
Pour the rest of the tomato mixture all over the pasta shells.
Top with chunks of torn mozzarella.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 Celsius for 20 minutes or until the mixture is golden on top, and bubbling.
Serve hot!