Forget standard stuffed shells. These are oversized conchiglioni (giant pasta shells) cradling a rich, umami-packed filling that redefines seafood pasta. At the heart of the dish is flaky smoked or pan-seared mackerel, a protein powerhouse with a deep, savoury profile. This isn't just mixed in; it's meticulously blended into a whipped cloud of creamy, subtly tangy ricotta cheese. The filling is then sharpened with the briny pop of capers and a whisper of parsley.
Ingredients
- 250g Jumbo Pasta Shells
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 whole Mackerel (or fillets)
- 1 cup chopped spinach and 1 tbsp capers
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped Kalamata Olives
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano and/or mozzarella
- 1 egg, beaten
- Pinch salt and Cracked Black Pepper
- 2-3 cups any simple Marinara Sauce
- Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the pasta shells for 5 minutes, then drain the water to stop cooking. Add strained ricotta cheese to a large bowl.
- Drain cans of mackerel and with a fork, flake the mackerel into the bowl with the ricotta cheese.
- Mix in spinach, olives, garlic powder, cheese, capers,beaten egg, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Into the baking dish, pour just enough marinara to coat the bottom of the dish so the shells don't stick.
- Fill each shell with ricotta mix
- Spoon some of the marinara sauce over the shells.
- Sprinkle some extra cheese over the shells.
- Finally, cover the shells with tinfoil and bake in the over for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle over chopped parsley.