Today Carmen, from Yerbabuena in the kitchen , proposes us to prepare a recipe that will be very delicious: pasta stuffed with spinach and ricotta. If you follow each step, it will be easy for you to do, and I am convinced that it will surprise and delight everyone!

Since I've been a mother, for a long time by the way, for me the year begins with the school year. And although I am very happy to meet you again, it is a bit hard to think that the holidays are behind us and with them, the days of leisure and tranquility... and once again we are immersed in the daily grind.

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

Of course, I must say that among my closest purposes is the preparation of homemade fresh pasta. Although she has always given me a little respect, my daughter Marta has made me lose my fear and has taught 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 am going to give myself the classic Imperia pasta machine , ideal for stretching and cutting the dough whose price is more than tempting and whose guarantee of success is more than assured.

If you want to be inspired to make your own homemade pasta with the preparations of my colleagues, be sure to take a look at these magnificent recipes and tips:

Fettuccini with aubergines and cherry tomato
Beetroot tagliatelle with gorgonzola sauce and pine nuts

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

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

INGREDIENTS

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

For the cheese sauce:

• 25g butter
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 600ml hot milk
• 70g grated Gruyère cheese
• Salt
• Pepper

ELABORATION

We start by preparing the filling, for this we put the spinach and ricotta cheese in a processor and grind until they are well mixed. Then add the egg and Parmesan cheese and blend again to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Transfer to a bowl, season with salt and pepper and store in the fridge.

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

Preheat the oven to 180º. Grease the container where they are going to gratin with butter.
Put the spinach and ricotta mixture in a pastry bag with a wide nozzle, fill the lumaconi and place them upwards in the chosen container, in my case the Le Creuset Skillet .

To prepare the cheese sauce, put the butter in a saucepan to melt, then add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring. Gradually add the milk, which we will have previously heated, and let it cook over low heat for about 10 minutes without stopping to move. Remove from the heat, add the Gruyère cheese, season with salt and pepper and stir until all the ingredients are well integrated.

Pour over the lumaconi and bake for about 20 minutes at 180º with the oven on top and bottom. We serve immediately.