I’ve seen conchiglioni bakes every now and then … Conchiglioni are a type of pasta you won’t stumble about in any supermarket, but then I found a packet of these “big” pasta shells. So I pondered how to start … a pasta bake.
I decided to start simply with a Bolognese style filling, lots of sauce and on top lots of cheese.
To be honest cooking the conchiglioni was easy, filling the soft shells (only cooked for some minutes) was trying and lengthy, but the result was fine, delicious, excellent – with the expenditure of time.
Enjoy!
conchiglioni – a first attempt
Servings: 4
ingredients:
for the sauce:
- ½ can peeled Italian tomatoes (about 200 g)
- ½ can crushed Italian tomatoes (about 200 g)
- 1 can tomato purée (about 70 g)
- a splash of honey
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ jar pesto with sundried tomatoes (about 100 g)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
for the pasta:
- 25 – 30 Conchiglioni (about 150 g)
for the filling:
- 400 g minced meat (beef only)
- 1 onion (finely chopped9
- 2 anchovies
- 1 carrot (peeled & finely chopped)
- some olive oil
- 1 can tomato paste (about 70 g)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ jar pesto with grilled vegetabbles (about 100 g)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
on top:
- 2 – 3 tbsp finely grated parmesan
- 150 g coarsely grated emmentaler
equipment:
- casserole 26 x 14 cm (ca. 1,8 l)
- frying pan
- saucepan
how to:
- Fill a saucepan with water & bring it to a boil.
- Add the paste and boil for about 6 – 7 min. The conchiglioni shall become soft, but stay undercooked.
- Drain the pasta. Set aside.
- Put all the ingredients for the source in a frying pan & bring to a boil. Stir & crush the tomatoes. It will take about 5 – 10 min. Pout the sauce in a bowl. Set aside.
- Use the frying pan & start frying the onion, the anchovies and the carrot in some olive oil for about 5 – 10 min. The vegetables shall get soft.
- Add the minced meat & fry until well done (about another 10 min). Mix well with the vegetables.
- Add the rest of the ingredients of the filling & mix well.
- Put the filling in a bowl. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 175° C fan.
- Fill about half of the sauce in the casserole.
- Add the filling to each of the conchiglioni and set into the casserole. (It will take some time … don't underestimate the task!)
- Cover the pasta with the rest of the sauce.
- Sprinkle grated parmesan all over the top. Finish with the grated emmentaler.
- The casserole marches in the preheated oven. You'll need about 20 – 25 min.
- Serve at once.
storing:
- Leftovers may be stored in the fridge for several days & reheated in the microwave.
- Leftovers may also be frozen.
