Stuffed Paccheri Pasta Bake

Stuffed Paccheri Pasta Bake

​Prep Time: 40 Min 
Cook Time: Approx. 1 Hour 20 Min 

Yields: 3 - 4 Servings

What You Need

• 40 Dry Paccheri Noodles
• 1 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded

SAUCE

• 1/4 C EVOO
• 3 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Yellow Onion, diced
• 2 stalks Celery, diced
• 1 Carrot, peeled & diced
• 1 Bell Pepper (not green) , diced
• 2/3 C White Wine ( I used Pinot Grigio)
• 1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
• 796ml Whole San Marzano Tomatoes
• Fresh Basil
• 1/2 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
• Cracked Pepper

FILLING

• 475g Full Fat Ricotta
• 1/4 C 4% Cottage Cheese
• 2 cloves Garlic, crushed & finely minced
• 1 Large, Free-Range Egg
• 1/2 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
• 1/4 C Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 Lemon, zested
• 1/2 Tsp. Himalayan Salt
• 1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• Few Dashes Ground Nutmeg
• Cracked Pepper

GARNISH

• Grana Padano, Basil Parsley

Notes

• I originally wanted to bake this in a 7" x 11" dish. However, once I started filling the noodles, I realized I didn't have enough filling. I ended up using a square 8" x 8" dish which was just right.​
• I suggested 40 noodles just in case a few break. You'll likely end up filling around 35 in total.
• It doesn't look like a lot, but I was able to get 4 pretty decent sized servings. Serve them up with good bread and some green salad for a complete meal. 
• Because I moved the noodles to a new dish, the dish was too big for my small oven so I couldn't cover it. Ideally, you'd want to cover the dish for half the cook time but it worked out just fine without covering. The cheese on top got a little blistered, but that's honestly what held them together. Either method would work just fine!

Directions

• Bring a large pot of cold, heavily salted water to a boil. Once your sauce is simmering, boil the paccheri noodles and remove them about one or two minutes before al dente as they will continue to cook in the oven. Once strained, do not rinse, simply arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment to allow them to cool without rinsing the starches off.

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• SAUCE - Begin heating the EVOO, garlic, and pepper flakes, in a large skillet set to just about medium heat. Once that starts sizzling, stir and let that go for about a minute and a half. Add the onion, pepper, celery, and carrot, along with a good pinch of both salt & pepper. Stir and let those veggies cook for about 8 - 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and stir in the tomato paste. Let that simmer until reduced by about half or so. Pour in the tomatoes, rinsing out the can and pouring that water in to the skillet as well. Break up the whole tomatoes a bit in the skillet as it comes to temperature. Once it starts bubbling away, add the 1/2 tsp. salt and a small handful of fresh basil leaves. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 25 minutes. Carefully blend using a vortex blender or immersion blender until smooth. Leave on low.​

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• FILLING - Combine all of the ingredients and mix together until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a piping bag (in batches likely) with a large, open tip.
• ASSEMBLY - Preheat your oven to 375 F. Spray your baking dish with cooking spray and ladle enough sauce in to the bottom of the dish to coat nicely. Starting in the corner, place a noodle upright in the dish and fill it with the piping bag directly in the dish. Continue until all of your noodles are filled and the dish is full of stuffed noods. Ladle some sauce over the dish and top with the shredded mozzarella.
• Bake uncovered for 40 - 45 minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top. Check the notes for alternative baking method. Carefully remove the dish and place it on a cooling rack. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. 
• Cut in to 4 equal sized pieces and serve. Spoon some sauce in to the center of your plates and nestle your servings in to the sauce. Garnish with grana padano, parsley, and basil. ENJOY!
• Reserved sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days, or the freezer for 3ish months.

HAPPY VEG