SPINACH STUFFED SHELLS WITH TOMATO CONCASSE

SPINACH STUFFED SHELLS WITH TOMATO CONCASSE image

Categories Pasta

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

Filling
1-1/2 bread slices
4 large garlic cloves
1 -- 10 oz. package frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 T olive oil
1/4 c pine nuts
6 large green onions, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1-1/4 t balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/4 t salt
freshly ground pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
6 oz. Fontina cheese, chilled
2-1/2 oz. diced ham (about 3/4 c)
12 large pasta shells (or more), freshly cooked
Tomato Concasse
2 large tomatoes (about 1 pound)
4 T olive oil
1 t dried basil
1/2 t sugar
1/4 t salt

Steps:

For filling: Insert steel knife in food processor. Break bread into pieces and process to fine crumbs, about 40 seconds. Set aside. With machine running, drip garlic through feed tube and mince. Heat olive oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook until golden, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Transfer to small dish using slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium low. Add garlic and green onions to skillet and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Mix in thawed frozen spinach, vinegar, 1/4 t salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook until hot, about 2 minutes. Using shredding disk, shred Fontina cheese using light pressure. Add cheese, ham, pinenuts and bread crumbs to spinach mixture and mix well. Season to taste with salt. Fill each shell with spinach mixture. For tomato concasse: Core tomatoes, cut in half crosswise and squeeze to seed. Cut into 3/8" dice. Place in 9" square glass baking dish. Mix in 2 T oil, basil, sugar and salt. Spread tomato concasse over bottom of dish; arrange shells over. Brush outsides of shells with remaining 2 T oil. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead; chill. Bring to room temperature.) Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and spoon tomatoes over shells. Bake uncovered 10 minutes. Serve hot.