Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 250 g jumbo pasta shells, dry
Filling
- 250 g goat cheese, softened at room temperature
- 100 g ricotta cheese, whole milk preferred
- 200 g smoked turkey breast, finely diced
- 150 g roasted red peppers, drained and finely chopped
- 20 g fresh basil, chiffonade or finely chopped
- 2 garlic, minced
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Garlic Cream Sauce
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 400 ml whole milk, warmed slightly
- 50 g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 458 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbohydrates
- 42 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 786 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 66 mg
- Potassium
- 302 mg
- Calcium
- 288 mg
- Iron
- 2.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 49 mg
- Phosphorus
- 340 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 268 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 44 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 17 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.47 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.53 mg
- Niacin
- 3.5 mg
- Folate
- 116 mcg
- Water
- 156 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius or 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bring a large boiling pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the jumbo pasta shells and cook for 9 minutes until just al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened goat cheese, ricotta cheese, diced smoked turkey, chopped roasted red peppers, fresh basil, minced garlic, and black pepper. Stir aggressively until the filling is uniform and the goat cheese is fully incorporated.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it smells lightly toasted but has not taken on any color.
Gradually whisk the whole milk into the butter and flour mixture, pouring in a steady stream to prevent lumps. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the grated parmesan cheese until smooth.
Spread one third of the garlic cream sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Fill each cooled pasta shell with about one and a half tablespoons of the turkey and goat cheese mixture, then arrange the stuffed shells seam-side up in the baking dish.
Pour the remaining garlic cream sauce evenly over the top of the stuffed shells. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake in the preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius or 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the edges are bubbling and the internal temperature of the filling reaches at least 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Chef's Notes
- To prevent the cooked shells from sticking together while you prepare the filling, toss them gently with a half teaspoon of olive oil immediately after rinsing and draining.
- Using a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped off makes stuffing the shells significantly faster, cleaner, and more precise than using a spoon.
- The smokiness of the turkey pairs beautifully with a slightly aged goat cheese. Ensure you purchase a creamy log of chevre rather than pre-crumbled goat cheese, which contains anti-caking agents that ruin the velvety texture of the filling.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store tightly covered in the baking dish or transferred to an airtight container.
Freezer: 2 months — Assemble the casserole but do not bake. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing.
Reheating: Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 175 C for 20 minutes if refrigerated, or 45 minutes if frozen.
Troubleshooting
Pasta shells tear while stuffing
Cause: The pasta was boiled for too long and became overly soft, or handled too roughly while hot.
Fix: Patch minor tears by pressing the edges together, or overlap the torn pasta around the filling and place it tear-side down in the baking dish.
Prevention: Cook the shells 1 to 2 minutes less than the package directs for al dente, and rinse with cold water immediately after draining.
Filling is too crumbly and difficult to mix
Cause: Goat cheese was too cold, or a dry crumbly variety was used instead of a creamy log.
Fix: Add an extra tablespoon of whole milk or ricotta to the bowl and mix vigorously to soften the texture.
Prevention: Allow the goat cheese to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before mixing.
Cultural Context
Stuffed pasta shells, or conchiglioni ripieni, are a cornerstone of Italian-American casserole cooking, traditionally filled with a mild blend of ricotta, mozzarella, and spinach. This modern interpretation introduces a distinctly autumnal and robust flavor profile. By substituting mild cheeses with pungent goat cheese and incorporating smoked turkey, the dish gains a hearty, savory depth that perfectly suits the colder months.
