Spinach and “Ricotta” stuffed shells with roasted Capsicum

Sauce

• 1/2 medium capsicum
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp Pureharvest Organic Rice Syrup,
• 3 tbsp Pureharvest Coco Quench,
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• salt & pepper
• splash of water

Filling

• 350 g button mushrooms, chopped
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup cashews, soaked overnight
• 1 tsp miso paste
• 1 large brick tofu
• 2 handfuls spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 large handful, fresh basil
• 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1-2 tbsp Pureharvest Coco Quench
• Large pasta shells

Nut Parmesan (for serving - optional)

• 1/3 cup cashews
• 1/3 cup almonds
• 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp miso paste

Preheat oven to 200C. 

Place the capsicum on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake the capsicum for 20 - 30 minutes or until the skin is almost fully black. 

In a pan over medium heat, sauté the shallot and garlic for 5 - 10 minutes. Remove capsicum from oven and allow to cool, then peel off the blackened skin, roughly chop and add to the pan along with remaining ingredients, stir to combine. Allow the sauce to reduce on low heat for 20-30 minutes. Carefully pour sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. 

Prepare the filling by pan frying the mushrooms, onion and garlic with some olive oil, cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. Place the cashews and half of the tofu in a blender and blend until smooth.

Transfer ‘cream’ to a bowl, crumble in the other half of tofu and add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine, if the filling seems too dry add some coconut milk, if too wet add some more crumbled tofu (don’t stress, it wont make or break the dish!)

Boil some water in large pot and cook the pasta shells as per the packet instructions. Take an oven dish or shallow pan and pour a layer of the capsicum sauce over the bottom of the dish (you can use all the sauce, however I like some left over to spoon over the shells when serving.) Using two tablespoons, spoon the ‘riccotta’ filling into the pasta shells. Place the filled shells over the sauce, cover with foil and bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Serve with nut parmesan, basil and left over sauce. For the nut parmesan add to a blender and blend until forms parmesan like appearance.