(Almost Vegan) Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Shells
Delicious stuffed pasta shells
Italian food is by far my favourite cuisine. I love the fresh olive oil and vegetables with rich marinara sauces, the fabulous wine and the delicious desserts. I truly did not realise how lucky we were when we lived in Italy. My husband would come home every morning after PT with freshly squeezed orange juice and croissants, still hot from the oven, from our local pasticceria. And at the weekend we’d frequent the local pasta bar, or check out a food festival in a nearby town. They even had a yearly chocolate and wine festival. My stomach is rumbling just thinking about it.
Since we left, I’ve made it my mission to recreate some of these dishes , starting with my favourite food of all, pasta. Once you’ve tasted true Italian pasta, there’s no going back. Lightly tossed in olive oil, with a dash of parmigiano reggiano and some delicious San Marzano tomatoes, it’s mouthwateringly delicious. The pasta itself is also a cut above the rest. Made fresh with flour and eggs, it’s deliciously chewy and light. Dry, boxed pasta isn’t half as good, but as I don’t yet have the tools to make fresh pasta, I have to make do.
So until then, I’m focusing on the sauces. Starting with spinach and artichoke stuffed shells in a marinara sauce. This is a slight twist on the Italian spinach and ricotta and American spinach and artichoke dip. As I don’t do well with dairy, I find the ricotta a little too heavy. So I came up with a happy medium in the form of spinach and artichoke. I add some parmesan cheese to my mix, but you can also use asiago, or even ricotta if you prefer a creamier cheese. If, like me, you struggle with lactose, opt for a hard cheese over soft as typically they are easier to digest. If you’re going for a vegan meal, you can omit the cheese altogether. You could also substitute the pasta shells for another type of oversized shape.
Like most Italian recipes, you’ll find my version doesn’t call for many ingredients. It’s more about using high quality foods, like fresh herbs and cold-pressed olive oil (see my aglio olio recipe for details!). These ingredients make for a warming dish that makes you feel good.
Ingredients:
1 bag of spinach (255g)
1 box of large pasta shells
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
24oz strained tomatoes
2 cans quartered artichoke hearts
1 tsp salt
black pepper (to taste)
4 sage leaves
1/2 cup parmesan cheese or the cheese of your choice (add more or less depending on taste)
Prepare your ingredients prior to starting to cook. A lot happens quickly so this makes life much easier!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Bring a pot of water to boil and salt generously
In a large frying pan, add a splash of olive oil and heat on high. When the oil starts to shimmer, turn the heat down to medium and start adding spinach. Keep stirring the spinach.
Once all of the spinach has been added and it has started to wilt and turned a darker green, add the drained artichokes. Keep stirring.
Add the box of pasta to the boiling water
While this cooks, start preparing the marinara sauce. In a jug, add the strained tomatoes and the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the teaspoon of salt and one minced garlic clove and stir.
Add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and any other cheese mixes to the spinach and artichoke mix. Mince 2 cloves of garlic and continue stirring.
Once the spinach and artichoke mix starts to stick together, turn off the heat.
Drain the pasta and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
Spread a layer of the tomato sauce on the base of a casserole dish and start lining up the pasta shells.
With a small spoon, insert the spinach and artichoke mix.
Cover with the remaining marinara sauce and add the remaining cheese of your choice. Add the sage leaves and black pepper to taste.
Bake in the oven for 20/25 minutes or until the cheese has turned golden and slightly crispy.
Remove the sage leaves and serve!