Stuffed Conchiglione Bake

For the tomato sauce: heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook gently for 15- 20 minutes until softened.

Add the garlic and tomato puree and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf and sugar and simmer for 30 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat the oven to 200°C (180° fan) 400°F gas 6.

Put the spinach in a large pan with just the water clinging to the leaves. Cover and cook over a low heat for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Drain and squeeze out the excess liquid, then chop finely.

Put into a bowl and beat in the ricotta and egg. Stir in the nutmeg, lemon zest and half the parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta shells in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain well.

Spread the tomato sauce on the base of an 18cm x 23cm|7" x 9" baking dish.

Fill the pasta shells with the spinach mixture and arrange on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and the pinenuts.