Home

Conchiglioni stuffed with eggplant and mozzarella

17/11/2023

Here is the recipe for conchiglioni stuffed with eggplant and mozzarella with an Italian touch. A combination that brings the flavors of the garden directly to your table, perfect for a family lunch or a special dinner.

Ingredients

  • 250 g of conchiglioni (large shell-shaped pasta)
  • 1 large eggplant
  • 200 g of mozzarella (buffalo mozzarella is better)
  • 400 g of tomato sauce
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • A handful of fresh basil
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Grated Parmesan cheese to taste (optional)
  • Breadcrumbs (optional)

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  2. Wash and cut the eggplant into cubes of about 1 cm per side. Salt them slightly and let them purge for about 20 minutes, then rinse and dry them with paper towels.
  3. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the finely chopped garlic and the onion cut into small cubes until golden brown.
  4. Add the eggplant cubes to the pan and cook until they are golden and soft. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Cook the conchiglioni in abundant salted water following the instructions on the package, but drain them 2-3 minutes before the suggested time to achieve an ‘al dente’ texture. Drain them and pass them quickly under cold water to stop the cooking process and handle them without burning yourself.
  6. In a baking dish, pour a drizzle of oil and a bit of tomato sauce to create a base where you will place the conchiglioni.
  7. Fill each conchiglione with eggplant cubes and pieces of mozzarella. If you wish, you can also add a sprinkle of Parmesan inside the conchiglioni.
  8. Arrange the stuffed conchiglioni in the baking dish and cover them with the remaining tomato sauce. If you like, finish with a sprinkling of Parmesan and breadcrumbs for a crunchy crust.
  9. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the mozzarella is melted and the surface is slightly golden.
  10. Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.

Curiosities

Conchiglioni is a perfect pasta shape to be filled thanks to their ample form that allows for a variety of fillings. Italian cuisine is famous for its ability to explode with flavor in seemingly simple dishes, and this stuffed conchiglioni dish is a perfect example.

Conchiglioni stuffed with eggplant and mozzarella