Sausage & Ricotta Stuffed Shells

• 1 tbspolive oil
• 1onion, finely chopped
• 2garlic cloves, crushed
• 400 gtinned chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsptomato purée
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 1 tspcaster sugar
• 1 tspsea salt
• 200 gdried jumbo pasta shells (about 20)
• 400 gpork sausages, casings removed
• 300 gricotta
• 120 gbaby spinach, wilted and squeezed
• 50 gParmesan, finely grated
• 100 gmozzarella, grated (for topping)
• Black pepper

Method

1. 1Preheat the oven to 190°C. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and soften the onion with a little of the listed salt for 6–8 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. 2Stir in the tomato purée for a minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, a splash of water, oregano, sugar and remaining salt. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until thick enough to coat a spoon. Taste and season with black pepper.
3. 3Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt it generously; it should have a clear savoury edge. Season the pasta itself. Cook the jumbo shells following pack instructions but pull them 1–2 minutes before al dente; they finish cooking in the oven and turn to mush if you take them all the way now. Drain and lay out on a tray so they don't stick together.
4. 4Meanwhile, squeeze the sausage meat out of the casings and brown in a dry pan over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces. Do this in two batches. You're after deep caramelised edges and crisp little nuggets, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Tip onto a plate and let it cool for a few minutes.
5. 5Combine the cooled sausage with the ricotta, wilted spinach (squeezed properly dry; wet spinach makes the filling weep) and half the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
6. 6Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in the base of a baking dish. Spoon the sausage-ricotta mixture into each shell and arrange them snugly in the dish, open side up. Pour over the remaining sauce, then scatter with the mozzarella and remaining Parmesan.
7. 7Bake for 20–25 minutes until the cheese is blistered and golden and the sauce bubbles at the edges. Rest for 5 minutes; the filling needs to settle or it slides out the moment you serve.

Per serving

kcal

830

protein

43.8g

fibre

5.2g

carbs

58.8g

fat

47g