Ricotta stuffed Pasta Shells with cauliflower

Wilbur is our guest cook with his very yummy stuffed pasta shell dish inspired by an Alice Zaslavsky recipe.  It is so delicious and the lemon zest combined with the yoghurt adds such a zing.  Although it looks a little fiddly it is quite easy to prepare provided you have all the ingredients and utensils ready beforehand and well worth the effort. I especially liked the cauliflower base. Wilbur recommends reading the instructions first (or letting someone else read them for you!)  It also makes delicious leftovers the next day so be prepared to fight for your share!  Thank you very very much to Wilbur and I hope you enjoy as much as I did!  Cheers Colleen

Preparation           30 - 45 minutes

Cooking                45 - 50 minutes  of which oven does final 30 minutes

Serves                           4  with a green salad

Ingredients

200 gram Very large Pasta Shells (see photo)  

any unused shells can be lightly tossed in a splash of olive oil and repurposed in another meal or a salad lunch the next day

3/4  cauliflower - cut into small florets

1 large brown onion - peeled and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic - peeled and thinly sliced

12 or so sage leaves - sliced

Splash Olive Oil

1/2 cup chicken stock - salt reduced

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Cracked black pepper and Salt to taste 

25 gram butter - small cubes

375 gram tub smooth Ricotta

1/3 cup Greek yoghurt - strain off any whey

1 cup baby Spinach leaves - (firmly packed) - finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped parsley OR mint  - reserve some for topping

1 egg - beaten

zest of 1 lemon  - (the star of the dish)

100 gram grated cheese - mix of cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan - reserve 50 g for topping

Cracked black pepper - a little or a lot depending on your preference

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg - reserve some for topping

Method

Preheat oven to 200 ℃ (fan forced)

Make the stuffing - in a large bowl, mix the ricotta, yoghurt, spinach, lemon zest, pepper, beaten eggs, some chopped parsley or mint and pinch of the nutmeg along with 50 gram of mixed grated cheese. Combine well. Refrigerate until needed.

Microwave or steam the cauliflower florets and sliced onion until tender.

Drain off most of the liquid and scatter veg into a gratin dish approx 35cm x 20cm x 5cm

Add a splash of olive oil and the stock, sage leaves and garlic.

Sprinkle over the brown sugar, salt and pepper and dot with butter cubes.

Bake for approx 15 minutes until begins to caramelise.

During this time:

Cook pasta shells according to packet (minus 1 minute) then  drain. 

Rinse under cold water to cool down and strain to remove water.  

Separate the shells and pop on a non stick tray ready for stuffing.

Remove the gratin dish from oven and now stuff the pasta shells.

Use a spoon to generously fill each shell with the cheese stuffing then place shells closely together on the cauliflower mix until covered.

Sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese, parsley or mint and a sprinkle more nutmeg.

Cover with foil and bake approx 10 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden.

Remove from oven and let cool for approx 5 minutes or so before serving with green salad.

Enjoy!  Wilbur (and Colleen)