Cannellini Bean and Spinach Stuffed Giant Pasta Shells

Creamy canellini beans make a delicious smooth and silky filling for these giant pasta shells. Choose to make it vegan or vegetarian by topping with either breadcrumbs or grated cheese.

Ingredients

• littleseed extra virgin British rapeseed oil

• ½ medium white onion diced

• 2tsp Epicure Chopped Garlic

• 1 x 400g can Epicure cannellini beans

• 100ml veg stock

• 1tsp dried oregano

• Salt & Pepper

• 1 x 380g can Epicure Spinach

• 1 x 400g can Epicure Pomodoro San Marzano Tomatoes

• A handful of fresh basil roughly chopped

• Around 250g of giant pasta shells

• 30g hard Italian cheese (grated) or breadcrumbs for topping

Method

1. Lay out the dried pasta shells in an oven proof dish to work out how many you will need (we used a 20cm round dish but square or rectangular would work just as well). Try to arrange them so they fit snugly in the dish. Cover them with boiling water and leave to soak for at least 20 minutes.

2. Drizzle some Littleseed Oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the diced onion and 1tsp chopped garlic and leave to cook for 2 minutes.

3. Drain the cannellini beans and then add to the pan along with 100ml vegetable stock, 1tsp dried oregano and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook on a medium high heat for 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by half. Remove from the heat, then using a potato masher, mash the beans into a rough puree.

4. Drain the liquid from the tin of spinach and then mix into the bean puree.

5. Add a drizzle of Littleseed Oil to another pan on a medium heat with the remaining 1 tsp of chopped garlic and cook for two minutes. Then add the can of Pomodoro San Marzano tomatoes and chopped basil. Half fill the empty can of tomatoes with water and add to the pan. Cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes.

6. Whilst the tomato sauce is cooking drain the pasta shells and generously stuff each one with the bean and spinach puree and set aside on a plate. If you have any puree leftover you can freeze this and use it another time.

7. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6.

8. Add the tomato sauce to the oven-proof dish then nestle the stuffed pasta shells in the sauce (open side up), packing them in tightly. Sprinkle the cheese over the pasta shells (or breadcrumbs if you would prefer to keep it plant based).

9. Then bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the topping is crispy and golden.

10. Serve with a fresh salad and garlic bread.

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

45 minutes