Pasta is a versatile and savory dish, and the combination with spinach, cottage cheese, and chicken transforms it into a delicious and comforting meal. We start by boiling the pasta according to the package instructions. Make sure to add a little oil to the boiling water so that the pasta doesn’t stick together. Once cooked, carefully drain them and place them on an absorbent towel to dry a bit and maintain their shape.
Meanwhile, we prepare the spinach. Place it in a pot with salted water and, if desired, add a little vegetable seasoning to enhance the flavor. Boil the spinach until it softens, then drain it well and chop it finely. This step is essential to integrate the spinach leaves into the pasta filling, giving them a fresh and vibrant taste.
In a pan, add the oil and let it heat up. Add the finely chopped onion and garlic and sauté them for a few minutes until they become golden and fragrant. Now, add the chopped spinach and basil, mixing everything for a minute until any excess water evaporates. This combination will bring fantastic flavor to the filling.
After the mixture has cooled a bit, add the cottage cheese, freshly ground pepper, and grated Parmesan, mixing well to obtain a homogeneous composition. Check if more salt is needed, as the cottage cheese may already be salty. In another bowl, finely chop the chicken and incorporate it into the cheese mixture, ensuring it is evenly distributed.
Now, fill the pasta with this delicious mixture, using a spoon or even your hands, and place them in a heat-resistant dish, side by side, to arrange them as efficiently as possible. We move on to preparing the sauce. Peel the tomatoes and chop them finely or, if you prefer, you can mash them with a fork. Gently drain the juice to reduce the boiling time.
In a pan, add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper to taste, and let them boil over medium heat. When the juice starts to reduce, add the crushed garlic and fresh basil, adjusting the taste again with salt and pepper. Once the sauce is ready, pour it evenly over the stuffed pasta in the dish.
For a memorable finish, generously sprinkle grated Parmesan and mozzarella over the pasta and place the dish in the preheated oven. Let it bake for a few minutes until the cheese melts and becomes golden and appetizing. When ready, remove the dish from the oven, let it cool slightly, and enjoy this delicious dish, perfect for a family dinner or a festive meal!
Meanwhile, we prepare the spinach. Place it in a pot with salted water and, if desired, add a little vegetable seasoning to enhance the flavor. Boil the spinach until it softens, then drain it well and chop it finely. This step is essential to integrate the spinach leaves into the pasta filling, giving them a fresh and vibrant taste.
In a pan, add the oil and let it heat up. Add the finely chopped onion and garlic and sauté them for a few minutes until they become golden and fragrant. Now, add the chopped spinach and basil, mixing everything for a minute until any excess water evaporates. This combination will bring fantastic flavor to the filling.
After the mixture has cooled a bit, add the cottage cheese, freshly ground pepper, and grated Parmesan, mixing well to obtain a homogeneous composition. Check if more salt is needed, as the cottage cheese may already be salty. In another bowl, finely chop the chicken and incorporate it into the cheese mixture, ensuring it is evenly distributed.
Now, fill the pasta with this delicious mixture, using a spoon or even your hands, and place them in a heat-resistant dish, side by side, to arrange them as efficiently as possible. We move on to preparing the sauce. Peel the tomatoes and chop them finely or, if you prefer, you can mash them with a fork. Gently drain the juice to reduce the boiling time.
In a pan, add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper to taste, and let them boil over medium heat. When the juice starts to reduce, add the crushed garlic and fresh basil, adjusting the taste again with salt and pepper. Once the sauce is ready, pour it evenly over the stuffed pasta in the dish.
For a memorable finish, generously sprinkle grated Parmesan and mozzarella over the pasta and place the dish in the preheated oven. Let it bake for a few minutes until the cheese melts and becomes golden and appetizing. When ready, remove the dish from the oven, let it cool slightly, and enjoy this delicious dish, perfect for a family dinner or a festive meal!
Ingredients
1 box (12 oz-350 g) of shell-shaped pasta 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 small onion (chopped) 3-4 cloves of garlic (well crushed) 10 oz of cooked and finely chopped spinach a good handful of fresh basil, finely chopped meat from two chicken thighs (upper part) 250 g of well-drained cottage cheese (or ricotta) grated parmesan to taste (I added about 50 g in total) salt and pepper to taste grated mozzarella for garnish For the marinara sauce 7-8 very ripe garden tomatoes salt and pepper to taste (once again) 3-4 cloves of garlic, well crushed fresh chopped basil