Cheesy stuffed conchiglione shells
<p>I love this time of year when the nights turn cool and it becomes entirely justified to crave some cheesy, baked pasta comfort food. Feel free to serve simply as described or add your own twist with a garnish of basil leaves, chilli flakes, crunchy pine nuts or pan-fried breadcrumbs. The only other thing you need is a bitter green salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and a good glass of red. Light the fire and indulge!</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span> </strong>Four</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>400g ricotta</li>
<li>1 cup grated mozzarella</li>
<li>1 cup grated parmesan</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg</li>
<li>24 conchiglione shells (250g, available at specialty food shops)</li>
<li>400g tin cherry tomatoes</li>
<li>400g tin crushed and sieved tomatoes</li>
<li>1/2 cup dry white wine</li>
<li>1 garlic clove, crushed</li>
<li>1 teaspoon sugar</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.</li>
<li>Put ricotta, mozzarella, 2/3 cup parmesan, and egg in a bowl, and stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.</li>
<li>Pour cherry tomatoes and sieved tomatoes into a 23cm x 32cm baking dish. Stir in wine, garlic, sugar and chilli flakes, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon ricotta mixture into shells and sprinkle with remaining parmesan.</li>
<li>Cover with tinfoil and bake for 25 minutes, then remove foil and cook a further 15 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve with a small green bitter salad.</li>
</ol>
<p>What’s your favourite dish to enjoy on a cold evening?</p>
<p><em>Written by Sarah Tuck. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Stuff.co.nz</strong></span></a>. Image credit: Sarah Tuck / Stuff.co.nz. </em></p>
