Pasta Shells Stuffed with Butternut 'Ricotta' & Thyme Sausage Mince
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 16 jumbo shells
- cashew cream
- 11/2 cups raw cashews
- 1 cup fresh water
- 1 garlic clove
- 31/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- filling
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup crumbled firm tofu
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 cup cashew cream, from the recipe above
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°f and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Toss the butternut squash with a drizzle of olive oil and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper
Roast until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes
Make the cashew cream: blend together the drained raw cashews, fresh water, garlic, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
Make the filling: in a medium skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat
Add the spinach in increments, along with a pinch of salt, and sauté until all the spinach is incorporated and wilted
Remove from heat and let cool slightly
Squeeze out any excess liquid and chop
In a medium bowl, combine the the spinach with the crumbled tofu, oregano, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, at least 1/4 teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper and 1 cup of cashew cream
Season to taste, adding more salt and pepper as desired
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
Add the shells and cook according to the package directions until al dente
Drain
Assemble the shells
Spread 1/4 cup of the reserved cashew cream on the bottom of an 11x7-inch baking dish
Fill each cooked shell with some of the filling and a few cubes of butternut squash, and place into the baking dish
Drizzle a little olive oil over the shells, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through
Remove from the oven and serve with the remaining cashew cream
