Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Italian recipe you need to get the party started! We are talking “pasta al forno” here with our Baked Conchiglioni with Plant-Based Pumpkin Ragout… and is also gluten-free 🥳

This dish is perfect for Sunday lunches and family gatherings – Christmas and New Year’s Eve included. It’s the ideal choice for those occasions when you want something that can be prepared in advance, that will pamper your guests and remind them of their grandmother’s dish.

After all, pasta al forno, with its thousands regional variations, is a dish that brings us all together. And almost every Italian family has its own secret recipe 😉

Conchiglioni – pronounced [con-ki-liòh-ni] – means ‘big shells’, and it’s the plural masculine of conchiglia [con-kì-liah] shell.

How to… Say it in Italian!

Recipe for Baked Conchiglioni with Plant-Based Pumpkin Ragout

Here’s the recipe, let’s get to work!

[servings: 5 to 6 | time: 1 h 20 min. (prep 50 min + cooking 30 min) | difficulty: medium-easy]
*| Please note that the info and directions provided for the recipe are indicative: the end result may vary from person to person |*

Ingredients

• 700 g pumpkin pulp (about 1 kg whole)
• 200 g conchiglioni pasta (approx. 30 pieces)
• 40 g vegan mince (to rehydrate) + water for soaking
• 150 g of vegetable cream (for cooking)
• 1 teaspoon grill spice mix (check our BBQ Mix right after the recipe)
• 4 to 5 tbsp oil (*)
• 1 medium-small onion
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 medium shallot
• 40 g white wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 100 g fauxmage (check our recipe)

About the oil (*) – Unless otherwise specified, we use organic and cold-pressed evo or sunflower seed oil (the high-oleic type for frying).

Tools

• Enamelled cast iron sauce pan (or a steel one, with a heavy bottom)
• cutting board
• sharp knife
• blender
• colander
• baking dish (ceramic)

Directions

1. Let’s prep everything:
   • chop the onions, carrot and shallot.
   • Cut the pumpkin into small cubes, and heat up some salted water for pasta.
   • Cook the pasta for half the time indicated on the package.
   • Drain it, dress it with a little oil and spread it out on a tray (or large dish) so that conchiglioni won’t stick between each other. Keep aside.
2. For the filling:
   • Soak the mince in water for at least 15 minutes. Then drain and squeeze it well.
   • Clean and dice the pumpkin.
   • Heat up the oil in the sauce pan, with a teaspoon of our spice mix, and start by sautéeing the onion, then add the carrot and let them sweat till golden-brown.
   • It’s time to add the mince. Stir-fry the mix for 5 to 7 minutes. It should enough to get start to get coloured.
   • Increase the intensity of the heat and deglaze with white wine. This will take 3 to 4 minutes.
   • Add 1/3 of the pumpkin and sauté everything for about 10 minutes. In case is drying out too fast, or sticking, add some more oil and a couple of tablespoons of water.
   • Season and taste!
3. For the pumpkin cream
   • Sauté the shallot, add the rest of the pumpkin and let it simmer until is soft.
   • Season and whisk to obtain a smooth cream.
   • Add the cream (or some veg béchamel sauce made by you) and mix.

Time for Baking and Plating!

• Pre heat the oven at 180 °C
• Brush some oil in the baking dish, and start stuffing the pasta
• Place the conchiglioni close enough to each other but not overlapping
• Carefully cover the conchiglioni with the cream: be generous!
• Sprinkle with plenty of faumage, a drizzle of oil and bake for about 30 minutes

Serve immediately and Buon appetibilis!

PS. If there is going to be any leftovers, we doubt, but just in case: pasta al forno is very gratifying also “riposata” cold and/or re-heated the day after.

“Ottimo” BBQ Spice Mix

In a bowl, place the following spices (in their powder form):

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (sweet and/or hot) 
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 
• 1/3 teaspoon coriander seeds 
• 1/3 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1/3 teaspoon cumin powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and onion powder 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt 

Mix all ingredients together and store it in a glass jar, tightly sealed. Once you’ll try it, you’ll use it to flavor other dishes too!

Notes and Variations

• Pasta pre-cooking. Before stuffing it, it’s important to drain the pasta halfway through its cooking time (the suggested time is on the pack), as it will finish cooking in the oven (and it would not overcook).
• Dressing and Seasoning. Make sure that the cream – used to dress your conchiglioni – is quite runny. It will set in the oven and keep the pasta moist to perfection.
• To prevent the bake from drying too much. Halfway through baking – if necessary – add two or three tablespoons of sugar-free soy milk on each sides of the conchiglioni, it’ll pour trough, and help the baking.
• Variations. Instead of the veg mince, try using mushrooms (cremini champignon, portobello or pleurotus). Blend them coarsely and follow the rest of the recipe.

An alternative BBQ Spice Mix (2)

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon coriander 
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon freeze-dried onion and freeze-dried garlic
• ½ teaspoon black pepper +chili pepper +basilicum

Interesting links

Qui trovate la ricetta in italiano per i Conchiglioni ripieni al ragù (vegano) di zucca

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Simona Scarone

Cucina, corsi, oli essenziali.
Insegno a cucinare in modo sano, testo e invento ricette “plant based” anche in video.
Scrivo racconti di cucina e non solo.

Cuisine, cooking lessons, essential oils.
I teach healthy cooking, test and create “plant based” recipes, also on video.
I write about food, and other stories.