Recipes

[Calibeach]

Paccheri is one of our all-time favorite pasta shapes around, and this Paccheri Al Forno (aka, baked paccheri!) is a classic way to cook it in southern Italy. Filling each tube of pasta with a flavorful sausage and ricotta mixture is reminiscent of stuffed cannelloni or lasagna rolls, and it’s extra delicious with the perfect al dente chew of Giadzy pasta. 

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, casing removed
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 (5-ounce) container baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (16-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

To assemble:

• 3 cups marinara divided
• 28 to 30 paccheri pasta, approx 9 ounces or half a Giadzy package
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Prepare the filling. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil to the pan and heat an additional 30 seconds. Add the sausage to the pan. Cook, breaking apart the sausage into very small pieces, until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the spinach, red pepper flakes and salt. Cook, stirring often until the spinach is completely wilted, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.
2. To the same bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese until combined. Transfer the mixture into a resealable plastic bag or piping bag. Set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
4. To assemble, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Boil the pasta until par-cooked and still quite firm, about 7 minutes. Using a pasta spider, remove the pasta to a tray to cool to room temperature.
5. While the pasta cools, spoon 1 1/2 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan.
6. Once the pasta is cool enough to handle, use the piping bag to fill the paccheri with the cheese mixture. Line the cheese filled pasta in 3 rows on top of the sauce, nestling them in tightly together. Spoon another 1 1/2 cups of sauce on top of the pasta.
7. Top the sauce covered pasta with the mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake the pasta until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the pasta is al dente, 30 minutes.
8. Switch the oven to broil and broil the dish for 3 minutes to brown the cheese. Allow the paccheri to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

[LizzieInSRQ]

Sooooo drool-worthy @Calibeach ! I had to go look up this pasta shape as I had not heard of it. Im always learning from you. 💛

[JerseyGirl44]

I think I have to make this pasta!  It looks sooooooooooo yummy!!

[Lovestheshores]

@Calibeach - Your source for this recipe? Looks good. TIA.

[Calibeach]

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@LizzieInSRQ wrote:

Sooooo drool-worthy @Calibeach ! I had to go look up this pasta shape as I had not heard of it. Im always learning from you. 💛

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@LizzieInSRQ  yes, very interesting! I follow Giada De Laurentiis - this recipe was sent to me via an email. She has an online store that is a resource for interesting recipes and products that she imports from Italy. She also has her own brand of products called Giadzy. I suppose you can just use the big shells or Manicotti pastas as a substitute for this recipe

[Calibeach]

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@JerseyGirl44 wrote:

I think I have to make this pasta!  It looks sooooooooooo yummy!!

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@JerseyGirl44 I won't be making it for a couple of weeks. Going to look for the paccheri pasta. Not sure if any local stores sell it, I need to do some research. I might buy it from Giada's store.

If you make it anytime soon, please post an update. 

[wagirl]

It sounds and looks amazing and would eat a big helping but prob won't make it myself --too much assembly for me. but Brava!!!!😃