Conchiglioni with beef ragu

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 200g (2 cups) cherry tomatoes
• 1 tsp fine salt
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves smashed and chopped roughly
• 250g (½ pound) minced beef
• 1 tbsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2-3 large fleshy tomatoes, diced (or ½ tin of chopped tomatoes)
• 150g (5 oz.) conchiglioni (giant pasta shells)
• 30g (2 tbsp.) Parmesan
• 100g (3 oz.) grated cooking mozzarella or provolone

METHOD

1. Heat up 1 tbsp. of oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Scorch the cherry tomatoes in the oil tossing on all sides and smash them with the back of a wooden spoon. Season with the salt and paprika and scrape them all into a large baking dish, large enough to fit the shells in a single layer – the shells will sit on the smashed tomatoes.

2. To make the beef ragu filling, heat up another tbsp. of oil in the same pan. Add the onion and sweat over medium heat until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the beef mince and turn up the heat. Cook, breaking up the clumps with a fork until it is evenly coloured.  Season with salt and pepper and add the diced tomatoes. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the liquid evaporates and the sauce thickens. Take the beef off the heat and let it cool down while the pasta is cooking.

3. Cook the pasta shells in plenty of salted water for exactly half the time advised on the package; usually it will be about 6 minutes. Drain them and rinse with cold water, drizzle with a little olive oil and leave them on a colander or a tray to drain – turned upside down if you can be bothered.

4. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. When the pasta and the filling are cool enough to handle, stir half the grated parmesan into the beef ragu. Fill the shells with about a spoonful of the filling each and place in the dish on the smashed tomatoes. Top with mozzarella, pushing it into the shells. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

5. Bake for 30 minutes until the shells are scorched and crispy. Let it stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.

---

See also

conchiglioni with ricotta and walnuts

ragu bolognese

provolone pasta bake