Lumaconi with spinach and ricotta

Today Carmen, from Yerbabuena en la cocina, suggests a recipe that will be very tasty: pasta stuffed with spinach and ricotta. If you follow each step, you'll find it easy to make, and I am convinced it will surprise and delight everyone!

Since I became a mother, which was a long time ago by the way, the year for me begins with the school term. And although I’m very happy to reconnect with you, it’s a bit tough to think that the holidays are behind us and with them the leisurely, peaceful days… and once again we’re immersed in the daily hustle.

What better way to face the end of vacation and the almost imminent change of season than a pasta recipe that gives us the energy we need? On this occasion I used these bought dried lumaconi, which we will fill with spinach and ricotta to achieve a delicious combination.

That said, I must say that one of my nearest goals is to make fresh homemade pasta. Although it’s always intimidated me a bit, my daughter Marta has made me lose that fear and has shown me how easy it is and the endless possibilities and advantages it offers by being able to adapt it to our own taste.

So taking advantage of the fact that next month is my birthday, I'm going to gift myself the classic Imperia pasta machine, ideal for rolling and cutting dough, whose price is more than tempting and whose guarantee of success is more than assured.

If you want inspiration to make your own homemade pasta from my colleagues' preparations, don't miss these magnificent recipes and tips:

Fettuccini with eggplant and cherry tomato
Beet tagliatelle with gorgonzola sauce and pine nuts

But returning to the preparation I present to you, I'll tell you that this is a very easy recipe to make, it only requires a little patience, since you have to fill the lumaconi manually after boiling them and then bake them, of course in my Le Creuset Skillet: like our ancestors, since I discovered the excellence of cooking in iron I can't resist cooking in it.

In the photo, Le Creuset Skillet pan, and Bérard olive wood cutting board

INGREDIENTS

• 300g lumaconi
• 400g spinach, thawed and well drained
• 250g ricotta
• 1 Egg
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• Salt
• Pepper
• Butter to grease the pan

For the cheese sauce:

• 25gr butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 600ml hot milk
• 70gr grated gruyere cheese
• Salt
• Pepper

PREPARATION

We begin by preparing the filling; for this we put the spinach and ricotta cheese in a food processor and blend until well combined. Then we add the egg and Parmesan and blend again to get a homogeneous mixture. Set aside in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and refrigerate.

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan with a little salt. When it begins to boil, add the lumaconi and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. After this time pour into a colander and add cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well.

Preheat the oven to 180º. Grease the dish where they will be baked with butter.
Put the spinach and ricotta mixture into a piping bag with a wide tip, fill the lumaconi and place them upright in the chosen dish, in my case the Le Creuset Skillet.

To prepare the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the flour and cook it for one minute stirring. Gradually add the milk, which you will have heated beforehand, and let simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes without stopping stirring. Remove from the heat, add the gruyere cheese, season with salt and pepper and stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Pour over the lumaconi and bake for about 20 minutes at 180º with the top and bottom heat on. Serve immediately.