Spinach and ricotta Lumaconi pasta with roasted red pepper sauce

If you want to liven up your Sunday meal, how about whipping up a mouth-watering pasta dish: spinach and ricotta Lumaconi pasta with roasted red pepper sauce.

METHOD

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add 3 pinches of salt followed by one half of the freshly cleaned spinach. Cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove the first batch with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander. Shock with cold water, let cool, then squeeze out the excess liquid. Repeat for the second batch, reserving the spinach water.
2. Add 2 more pinches of salt to the spinach water and more water if necessary. Add the Lumaconi pasta and cook until “al dente” (Slightly hard)
3. While the pasta is cooking, transfer the cooled spinach to a large bowl and add the ricotta, ½ cup parmesan cheese, red pepper sauce, salt and pepper.
4. Drain the pasta and return to the pot along with a drizzle of olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together.
5. Cover the bottom of an extra large casserole dish with a thin layer of roasted red pepper sauce.
6. Fill each pasta shell with a spoonful of ricotta and spinach filling then place in the casserole dish. Repeat.
7. Once the pan is full with the filled pasta, cover with the remaining red pepper sauce and 1 cup of Grana Padano cheese.
8. Bake at 350 (180°) until the pasta is warm, about 10-15 minutes. Serve with extra grated Grana Padano cheese if desired.