Some weeks ago I tried to work for the 1st time with conchiglioni, these giant shells to be filled with … whatever. So I still had quite a lot of this pasta in my pantry. Last time I created a filling with minced meat – totally classic approach – baked in the oven. Now I opted for a filling of vegetables – resulting in a lighter dish than back then.
I had in mind to make a pasta dish for 2… fine. However, if you like it as a side dish together with some roast – or whatever – it’ll also be fine for 4.
I started with prepared the filling of vegetables (which chilled in my fridge from previous cooking adventures – ok: it’s a leftover filling):
- carrots
- peas
- kohlrabi
- red pepper.
All was chopped finely & went into the frying pan together with butter – and some water. (Well – I made an educated guess about how much I might need… At the end I didn’t use all of it, but – no worries – you may store the “leftover of the leftover” in the fridge for further dishes.)
Also… you may also work with carrots & peas only or add some finely chopped mushrooms or courgettes. It should be a soft and delicate filling at the end.
Next step was preparing the sauce with:
- peeled tomatoes
- tomato pulp
- scallions
- bacon.
After frying the scallions and the bacon in olive oil for some minutes I added the tomato mess to start simmering for some more time.
The conchiglioni were cooked until almost soft – about 12 – 13 min.
As I noticed before – during my 1st adventure with conchiglioni – the filling of the conchiglioni is the most time-consuming act of the process. I stuffed as much of the vegetables into the shells as possible & arranged the conchiglioni in the pan filled with the tomato sauce.
I let it simmer for at least 10 min w/o stirring too much, because I didn’t want to crash the conchiglioni. At the end the pasta was soft, the tomato sauce had invaded the shells – if only somewhat.
Enjoy!
- 125 g conchiglioni (about 25)
- 300 g carrots (before peeling & trimming)
- 150 g peas (frozen)
- 400 g kohlrabi (1 kohlrabi – before peeling & trimming)
- 1 red pepper
- 50 g butter
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- 50 g Italian bacon (thinly sliced)
- 1 – 2 scallions
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 400 g Italian peeled tomatoes (1 can)
- 400 g Italian tomato pulp (1 can)
- a pinch of honey
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- finely grated Parmesan (optional)
- saucepan (for the pasta)
- colander (for the pasta)
- frying pan
- Clean, trim & chop the vegetables finely.
- Add the butter to a frying pan and fry the vegetables for a minute. Then add some water – about 1 cm – to start cooking. The water will vanish – the vegetables are fine then.
- Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Afterwards transfer the vegetables into a bowl & set aside.
- Cook the conchiglioni in salted water for about 12 – 13 min.
- Drain the water & let the pasta cool – somewhat. Set aside.
- In the meantime trim & chop the scallions. Chop the bacon. Start frying both in olive oil for about 5 min.
- Add the peeled tomatoes & the tomato pulp. Add honey & the dried herbs. Let is simmer for about 10 – 20 min.
- Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Fill the conchiglioni with the vegetable mess. Stuff as much in the conchiglioni as possible.
- Set each filled conchiglioni on a plate. Finally set all conchiglioni in the frying pan into the bubbling tomato sauce.
- Let it cook for at least 10 – 15 min when all conchiglioni are in the frying pan. Don't stir too much – don't crash the filled conchiglioni – don't make a mess!
- Serve at once.
- Optional: You may serve grated Parmesan in addition.
- You may store leftovers in the fridge – the pasta dish is generous. Reheat in the microwave.
- Sorry: no experience with freezing.
